Prospect Park, New Jersey
Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Prospect Park is a borough in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 6,372,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 507 (+8.6%) from the 2010 census count of 5,865,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 86 (+1.5%) from the 5,779 counted in the 2000 census.<ref>Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref>
The borough of Prospect Park was formed by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 13, 1901, from portions of the now-defunct Manchester Township.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 211. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref><ref>Honeyman, Abraham Van Doren. Index-analysis of the Statutes of New Jersey, 1896-1909: Together with References to All Acts, and Parts of Acts, in the 'General Statutes' and Pamphlet Laws Expressly Repealed: and the Statutory Crimes of New Jersey During the Same Period, p. 210. New Jersey Law Journal Publishing Company, 1910. Accessed September 22, 2015.</ref> The borough was named for Prospect Park, Brooklyn.<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 22, 2015.</ref>
It is a dry town, where alcohol cannot be sold, as affirmed by an ordinance passed in 1978.<ref>New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. New Jersey ABC list of dry towns (May 1, 2013)</ref><ref>Giordano, Rita. "More towns catching liquor-license buzz; Moorestown considers ending its dry spell", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 24, 2007. Accessed February 16, 2014.</ref>
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.47 square miles (1.22 km2), including 0.47 square miles (1.20 km2) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.01 km2) of water (1.06%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />
The borough borders the Passaic County municipalities of Haledon, Hawthorne, North Haledon and Paterson.<ref>Areas touching Prospect Park, MapIt. Accessed March 3, 2020.</ref><ref>Passaic County Map, Coalition for a Healthy NJ. Accessed March 3, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>
Demographics
[edit]2010 census
[edit]The 2010 United States census counted 5,865 people, 1,797 households, and 1,456 families in the borough. The population density was 12,347.2 per square mile (4,767.3/km2). There were 1,931 housing units at an average density of 4,065.2 per square mile (1,569.6/km2). The racial makeup was 51.07% (2,995) White, 19.86% (1,165) Black or African American, 1.50% (88) Native American, 3.21% (188) Asian, 0.10% (6) Pacific Islander, 18.21% (1,068) from other races, and 6.05% (355) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 52.09% (3,055) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>
Of the 1,797 households, 43.6% had children under the age of 18; 47.6% were married couples living together; 26.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 19.0% were non-families. Of all households, 14.7% were made up of individuals and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.26 and the average family size was 3.59.<ref name=Census2010/>
28.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 90.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 86.7 males.<ref name=Census2010/>
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $63,194 (with a margin of error of +/− $9,308) and the median family income was $65,625 (+/− $6,456). Males had a median income of $43,109 (+/− $6,443) versus $30,142 (+/− $9,427) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $20,993 (+/− $2,145). About 12.0% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.4% of those under age 18 and 20.0% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Prospect Park borough, Passaic County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 29, 2012.</ref>
Same-sex couples headed 8 households in 2010, a decline from the 11 counted in 2000.<ref>Lipman, Harvy; and Sheingold, Dave. "North Jersey sees 30% growth in same-sex couples", The Record, August 14, 2011, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 3, 2013. Accessed October 23, 2014.</ref>
2000 census
[edit]As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 5,779 people, 1,822 households, and 1,432 families residing in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 1,889 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the borough was 61.17% White, 13.65% African American, 0.42% Native American, 3.15% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 13.70% from other races, and 7.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 38.26% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Prospect Park borough, New JerseyTemplate:Dead link, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 29, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Prospect Park borough, Passaic County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 29, 2012.</ref>
There were 1,822 households, out of which 44.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.4% were non-families. 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.17 and the average family size was 3.56.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
In the borough the population was spread out, with 29.6% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
The median income for a household in the borough was $46,434, and the median income for a family was $49,405. Males had a median income of $31,951 versus $26,569 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $16,410. About 7.9% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
As part of the 2000 Census, 1.7% of Prospect Park's residents identified themselves as being of Albanian ancestry. This was the 11th-highest percentage of Albanian American people in any place in the United States with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.<ref>Albanian Communities, EPodunk. Accessed June 28, 2006.</ref> In the same census, 3.2% of Prospect Park's residents identified themselves as being of Arab American ancestry. This was the sixth-highest percentage of Arab American people in any place in the United States with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.<ref>Arab Communities Template:Webarchive, EPodunk. Accessed June 28, 2006.</ref>
Government
[edit]Local government
[edit]Prospect Park is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 151.</ref> The borough form of government used by Prospect Park is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.<ref>Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask", New Jersey State League of Municipalities, March 2007. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 6. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>
Template:As of, the mayor of Prospect Park is Democrat Mohamed Khairullah, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Khairullah was appointed to the office in 2005, after his predecessor Will Kubofcik vacated his seat to move out of the borough; he has since been elected to four full terms. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Mohammed A. Hussain (D, 2025), Robert Artis (D, 2023), Alaa Matari (D, 2024), Felicia Ortiz (D, 2023), Esther Perez (D, 2024) and Anand Shah (D, 2025).<ref name=MayorCouncil>Meet the Mayor and Council, Borough of Prospect Park. Accessed April 16, 2023.</ref><ref>2021 Municipal Data Sheet, Borough of Prospect Park. Accessed July 13, 2022.</ref><ref name=PassaicDirectory>Passaic County 2022 Directory, Passaic County, New Jersey. Accessed March 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Passaic2022>2022 General Election November 8, 2022 Summary Report Passaic County Official Results, Passaic County, New Jersey, updated December 7, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Passaic2021>2021 General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results, Passaic County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Passaic2020>November 3, 2020 Summary Report Official Results, Passaic County, New Jersey, updated November 20, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref>
Samir Hayek resigned from office in July 2017, citing personal reason for leaving the seat expiring in December 2018.<ref>Kelleher, Lindsey. "Prospect Park Councilman Samir Hayek resigning", The Record, July 28, 2017. Accessed January 10, 2018. "Councilman Samir Hayek is resigning from the Borough Council, according to the mayor.Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah said Hayek submitted a letter of resignation to him on June 26. The letter, according to Khairullah, would go into effect this Saturday, July 29, and cited personal reasons for Hayek's resignation."</ref>
In September 2016, Esther Perez, who had previously served 12 years on the borough council, was selected to fill the seat expiring in December 2018 that had been held by Richard Esquiche until he resigned from office the previous month.<ref>Alfaro, Alyanna. "Prospect Park Swears-In Replacement CouncilpersonPerez was previously on the council for 12 years", New York Observer, September 14, 2016. Accessed January 10, 2018. "Former Prospect Park Council President Richard Esquiche announced his resignation in August. That decision left an opening on the council of the small Passaic County suburb. On Tuesday night, former councilwoman Esther Perez was sworn in to fill Esquiche's spot."</ref> Perez was elected in November 2016 to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Passaic2016>November 8, 2016 Summary Report Passaic County Official Results Template:Webarchive, Passaic County, New Jersey, updated December 9, 2016. Accessed January 30, 2017.</ref>
Federal, state and county representation
[edit]Prospect Park is located in the 9th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 35th state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>Districts by Number for 2011-2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref> Prior to the 2010 Census, Prospect Park had been part of the Template:Ushr, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.<ref name=LWV2011>2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government Template:Webarchive, p. 63, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed May 22, 2015.</ref>
Template:NJ Congress 09 Template:NJ Senate
Template:NJ Passaic County Commissioners
Politics
[edit]As of March 2011, there were a total of 3,139 registered voters in Prospect Park, of which 1,710 (54.5% vs. 31.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 345 (11.0% vs. 18.7%) were registered as Republicans and 1,084 (34.5% vs. 50.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.<ref name=VoterRegistration>Voter Registration Summary - Passaic, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed January 16, 2013.</ref> Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 53.5% (vs. 53.2% in Passaic County) were registered to vote, including 74.8% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.8% countywide).<ref name=VoterRegistration/><ref>GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 - State -- County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 16, 2013.</ref>
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 82.9% of the vote (1,744 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 16.5% (348 votes), and other candidates with 0.6% (12 votes), among the 2,130 ballots cast by the borough's 3,402 registered voters (26 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 62.6%.<ref name=2012Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 1,721 votes (75.9% vs. 58.8% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 474 votes (20.9% vs. 37.7%) and other candidates with 15 votes (0.7% vs. 0.8%), among the 2,267 ballots cast by the borough's 3,387 registered voters, for a turnout of 66.9% (vs. 70.4% in Passaic County).<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Passaic County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed January 16, 2013.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 1,325 votes (64.8% vs. 53.9% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 655 votes (32.0% vs. 42.7%) and other candidates with 22 votes (1.1% vs. 0.7%), among the 2,046 ballots cast by the borough's 3,270 registered voters, for a turnout of 62.6% (vs. 69.3% in the whole county).<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Passaic County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed January 16, 2013.</ref>
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2024<ref name="2024Elections">Template:Cite web</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|39.7% 882 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|55.2% 1,227 | 5.1% 103 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2020<ref name="2020Elections">Template:Cite web</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|25.1% 649 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|71.9% 1,859 | 3.0% 23 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2016<ref name="2016Elections">Template:Cite web</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|18.0% 399 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|77.7% 1,722 | 3.4% 76 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2012<ref name="2012Election">Template:Cite web</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|16.5% 348 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|82.9% 1,744 | 0.6% 12 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2008<ref name="state.nj.us">2008 Presidential General Election Results: Passaic County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed January 11, 2025.</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|20.9% 474 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|75.9% 1,721 | 0.7% 15 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2004<ref name="Presidential Election 2004">2004 Presidential Election: Passaic County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed January 11, 2025.</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|32.0% 655 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|64.8% 1,325 | 1.1% 22 |
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 62.3% of the vote (690 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 36.0% (398 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (19 votes), among the 1,143 ballots cast by the borough's 3,502 registered voters (36 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 32.6%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 743 ballots cast (66.1% vs. 50.8% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 310 votes (27.6% vs. 43.2%), Independent Chris Daggett with 33 votes (2.9% vs. 3.8%) and other candidates with 9 votes (0.8% vs. 0.9%), among the 1,124 ballots cast by the borough's 3,116 registered voters, yielding a 36.1% turnout (vs. 42.7% in the county).<ref>2009 Governor: Passaic County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed January 16, 2013.</ref>
Education
[edit]The Prospect Park School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.<ref>Prospect Park Board of Education Distritc Policy 0110 - Identification, Prospect Park School District, adopted January 4, 2022. Accessed February 10, 2024. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Kindergarten through eight in the Prospect Park School District. Composition: The Prospect Park School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Prospect Park."</ref> As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 834 students and 80.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.3:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Prospect Park Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 15, 2024.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2023–24 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Prospect Park School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 15, 2024.</ref>) are Prospect Park School Number 1, with 652 students in grades PreK–6 and Prospect Park School Number Two / Middle School, with 162 students in grades 7–8.<ref>2024–25 Public School Directory, Passaic County, New Jersey. Accessed February 1, 2025.</ref><ref>Prospect Park Public School District School Performance Reports, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Prospect Park School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>
For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend Manchester Regional High School, which also serves students from Haledon and North Haledon.<ref>DeVencentis, Phil. "Taxes are flat under Manchester Regional budget, but one town still sees big increase", The Record, May 16, 2024. Accessed February 10, 2024. "The Manchester Regional school board has approved a $31.7 million budget for next year in which the overall tax burden shared by three constituent towns will remain flat. But the smallest of those communities — Prospect Park — is not deriving any benefit. In fact, residents there will be hit by a hefty tax hike while those in Haledon and in North Haledon are getting their bills lowered.... Those figures are calculated using a funding formula that was created by the state Department of Education in August 2013. In simple terms, half of the tax burden is based on enrollment, and the other half on ratables."</ref> As of the 2023–24 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 819 students and 60.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.7:1.<ref>School data for Passaic County-Manchester Regional High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 15, 2024.</ref> Seats on the high school district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent districts, with two seats assigned to Prospect Park.<ref>DeVencentis, Philip. "Write-in winners official for Manchester Regional, Wayne school board elections", The Record, November 25, 2019. Accessed April 5, 2020. "The Manchester Regional school board is comprised of two trustees from Prospect Park, three from Haledon and four from North Haledon."</ref>
Students are also eligible to attend the Passaic County Technical Institute, a countywide program located in Wayne.<ref>School Profile, Passaic County Technical Institute. Accessed August 7, 2013.</ref>
Transportation
[edit]_at_13th_Street_on_the_border_of_Prospect_Park_and_Haledon_in_Passaic_County,_New_Jersey.jpg){kind=link}
Roads and highways
[edit]Template:As of, the borough had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality and Template:Convert by Passaic County.<ref>Passaic County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 18, 2014.</ref>
The only significant road serving Prospect Park is County Route 504. It enters from Haledon, following Haledon Avenue along the borough's southwestern border with Haledon and Paterson. It then crosses completely into Paterson, turns onto Main Street and reenters Prospect Park for a brief stretch before exiting into Hawthorne.
Public transportation
[edit]NJ Transit provides local bus service on the 722 and 744 routes.<ref>Passaic County Bus / Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed December 2, 2014.</ref><ref>Passaic County System Map Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed August 15, 2015.</ref>
Notable people
[edit]Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Prospect Park include:
- Lini De Vries (1905–1982, born Lena Moerkerk), author, public health nurse, and teacher<ref>Guide to the Lini M. De Vries Papers ALBA.272 , The Tamiment Library & Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives of New York University, March 29, 2012. Accessed January 27, 2015. "Lini M. De Vries (1905-1982) was born Lena Moerkerk on July 25, 1905, in Prospect Park, New Jersey, the eldest of two daughters of Elisabeth Moerkerk, a Dutch immigrant."</ref>
- Johnny Vander Meer (1914–1997), MLB pitcher, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds, best known as the only pitcher in Major League Baseball history to throw two consecutive no-hitters<ref>Coutros, Evonne. "Midland Park marking 75th anniversary of Johnny Vander Meer's double no-hitters", The Record, April 8, 2013. Accessed January 27, 2015. "Born Nov. 2, 1914, Vander Meer was an athlete from the time he was in elementary school. His father, Jacob — who worked at Paterson's United Piece and Dye Works — and mother, Katie, lived in Prospect Park until 1918, when they moved to their first home in Midland Park on Rea Avenue."</ref>
References
[edit]External links
[edit]- Prospect Park Borough official website
- Prospect Park Elementary School
- Template:NJReportCard
- School Data for the Prospect Park Elementary School, National Center for Education Statistics
- Manchester Regional High School