CALENDAR PROTECTING EVENT LISTINGS IT’S ALL HERE. OUR WATER PAGE 9 The Rahway Review is the definitive go-to-guide for PAGES 6-7 every Rahway resident. Stay informed about what’s going on in our city. Right here. Right now. PUBLISHED BY THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR VOL XIX ISSUE 1 | FALL 2010 EDITION ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE: THIS ISSUE THE SOON-TO-BE-EXPANDED Mayor’s Message 2 RAHWAY ARTS DISTRICT Health Tips 3 Conservatory 4 AMPHITHEATRE Arts Guild Events 5 Phone Directory 6 Water Awareness 7 Calendar & Biz 9 Senior Scene 10 UCPAC Events 12 Holiday at Home 2010 Mark Scheeiber 2010 Annual Tree Lighting Rahway will soon have an of the Rahway River and This open air amphitheatre the new spatial connection to Friday, Nov 26 additional space for the parking. The amphitheatre will be nestled into a bend in the river and landscape. 7 p.m. performing arts when the replaces the former Hamilton the river and appears molded These arts buildings will City Hall Plaza new outdoor amphitheatre Laundry building, which by the action of the water. also achieve a green agenda, on Hamilton Street opens suffered severe damage from The sweeping concrete walls not just in the environmental in 2011. flooding in the 1990s. warp up to become a stage remediation of brownfield Holiday Craft Fair Construction of the house. This outdoor venue sites but through their Friday, Nov 26 1,100-seat amphitheatre is is linked by a riverfront walk accessibility to transporta- 5 – 10 p.m. expected to begin this fall to a renovated and expanded tion, resource use, and I’m eager to see this project and will launch a seasonal 15,000 square foot former energy efficiency. The park Saturday, Nov 27 lineup of music, dance and get underway to complement industrial building that will itself will be a demonstration 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. theater in the spring. The the many exciting things house a 200-seat theatre, project for sustainable flood Rahway Recreation Center amphitheatre is designed by already happening in our classrooms, and dance space plain and river bank treat- Farewell Mills Gatsch Ar- as well as program support ment and the theatre build- Arts District downtown For more information visit chitects of Princeton and will — Mayor James Kennedy space. The dynamism of this ing is seeking Leadership in also feature a public walkway space resides in its “found” Energy & Building Design www.cityofrahway.com along the Robinson’s Branch industrial quality, as well as in (LEED) certification. or call (732) 669-3600 PRSRT STD U.S.POSTAGE City Of Rahway One City Hall Plaza PAID Rahway NJ 07065 POSTAL PATRON RAHWAY, NJ PERMIT #105 FALL 2010 A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR’S DESK By Mayor James Kennedy It is with mixed emotions of private sector investment create the Rahway Art Hive that I write this, my final and new members on the and take advantage of our column for the Rahway UPCAC board will help kick proximity to New York City, Review. We launched the off an exciting new season in our relatively affordable real January that will take the arts estate and a community that VOLUME XIX • ISSUE 1 • FALL 2010 Rahway Review almost 20 years ago as a way to inform center down an exciting path is welcoming of the arts. our residents about happen- of improved programming. 2011 will mark the open- The Rahway Review is published by the Office of Administration Ten years ago my admin- ing of the long-awaited of the City of Rahway. Its purpose is to keep citizens informed ings in their hometown. I hope that this newsletter will istration created the Arts amphitheatre on Hamilton of important programs and events that the administration has continue to be an educational Guild of New Jersey gallery, Street that will be a new developed in efforts to improve the quality of life in Rahway. resource to keep everyone classroom and performance outdoor seasonal home for aware of the many exciting space in the Victorian-era the performing arts and will 12,000 newsletters are printed and mailed to each postal things going on in Rahway. Claude Reed Center. They be complimented by the customer in the City of Rahway. Others are distributed by In January, my State of the are joined by the skilled establishment of additional request to individuals, companies and organizations interested City speech addressed the artisans at Sagebrush Studios theater and dance space in in living or doing business in the City. economic importance of the and St. Georges Art Glass the adjacent Bell Building. arts and how Rahway can be along Irving Street. In just The piano loft on Irving Although great care has been taken to ensure that information poised to take advantage of the past three years, local Street has already opened its contained in this newsletter is accurate, the City of Rahway this opportunity in times of artists have organized to doors to the public. Talented assumes no liability for errors or omissions. recession and uncertainty. students from Julliard as The manufacturing and well as other reputable music schools are already capital- The Rahway Review welcomes comments and concerns from retail economies that many izing on this studio. its readers. These may be sent to: of us recall from our youth or our parents’ generation These new facilities will all are gone and will not return Twenty-five enhance our public schools’ City of Rahway well-established and award- Office of Administration in the same forms. Rahway needs to connect with grow- winning music and theater One City Hall Plaza, Rahway, NJ 07065 years ago, the ing economic trends that will programs. We will cultivate help cushion us against future a new generation who will downturns. volunteers grow up appreciating and Author and researcher taking advantage of the arts Richard Florida has written and the cultural and eco- MAYOR Fifth Ward extensively on the “creative behind the nomic benefits that it brings. James Kennedy Jennifer Wenson Maier class” and how jobs in We are presented with 1314 Bryant Street the arts are making up an a once-in-a-generation BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR (732) 396-8536 extremely important – and Union County opportunity to establish a Peter Pelissier profitable – area of this new sustainable economic model Sixth Ward group of workers. Creative for Rahway that will last Performing for years. Human creativity Samson Steinman class employment has is our ultimate economic RAHWAY MUNICIPAL COUNCIL 1104 Plymouth Drive seen relatively low rates of resource and if we do not (732) 388-4475 unemployment during the Arts Center capitalize on current trends First Ward course of the economic crisis and these jobs will make up now, we will find it much Robert Rachlin At Large more difficult to “play catch- 2215 Allen Street James Baker, Vice President roughly half of all projected transformed U.S. employment growth up” and sustain any momen- (732) 499-7389 596 Leesville Avenue – adding 6.8 million new tum when the economy (732) 574-1206 jobs by 2018. Studies just the run-down picks up. Second Ward released last month show that I would like to thank the Michael Cox, Council President At Large our metropolitan region is thousands of wonderful 776 West Scott Avenue Salvatore Mione poised to lead the nation in Rahway Theatre residents of Rahway who (732) 388-2880 1452 New Church Street job growth in these sectors. supported our shared vision (732) 574-1328 A modest investment made for our community over these Third Ward now will pay off well into into a regional past two decades. Stable Jerry Scaturo At Large the future, not only for our property taxes and economic 515 Albermarle Street Nancy Saliga employment prospects, but destination growth were the hallmark (732) 381-1924 1103 Milton Boulevard for neighborhood improve- of those years. I will refocus (732) 574-3188 ment and quality of life. my energies on growing the cultural arts in Rahway in Fourth Ward Twenty-five years ago, the for the the future and I invite you David Brown Editor volunteers behind the Union County Performing Arts to join with me on this new 353 East Stearns Street Jeffrey J. Jotz and exciting journey that (732) 388-6545 (732) 827-2100 Center transformed the run- performing arts. down Rahway Theatre into will create more jobs, vibrant Publication Design: Wizdom Media | wizdommedia.com a regional destination for the neighborhoods and an excit- ing, diverse city. The Rahway Review is printed by: AJ Images performing arts. An infusion 2 WWW.CITYOFRAHWAY.COM FALL 2010 Neighborhood RAHWAY HEALTH DEPARTMENT watch teams forming Directly or indirectly we are reporting suspicious and all affected by crime that criminal activity to the police, has caused injury, financial and initiating actions which IMPORTANT TIPS loss and intimidation. These reduce criminal opportunity. situations demonstrate In these times of reported vividly the need for commu- apathy within our communi- nity involvement and as- ties, it is encouraging to find FOR WEST NILE sistance in crime prevention, the concern and involvement reporting and efforts through you and your neighbors the Rahway Police Depart- display with neighborhood ment Neighborhood Watch watch efforts. The Rahway VIRUS PREVENTION Program. This community- Police Department stands based crime prevention pro- ready to assist and support gram is a simple and direct you with this program. approach toward protecting our community from crimi- For assistance nal attacks. The program involves the reduction of with this program criminal opportunity through please contact citizen participation in crime Detective William Eicholz prevention measures, such as being alert and aware, at (732) 827-2079 Pedestrian Safety is a Shared Responsibility! There is no one cause of crashes involving pedestrians.