MAYOR'S UPDATE:

WEEK ENDING MAY 19

This afternoon, I hosted about 40 members of the American Planning Association of New Jersey for a walking tour of Downtown Westfield. APA NJ members from a range of communities across the state joined us for an afternoon of discussion about our downtown and redevelopment plans for One Westfield Place, which included a Q&A at the Preview Center. We received valuable input from these planning professionals, as well as great enthusiasm for the innovative vision and smart growth approach to transit-oriented development through our public/private partnership with HBC | Streetworks Development. Special thanks to Town Planner Don Sammet for providing an informative overview of the Master Plan process, to DWC Chair Samantha Horning, and to local businesses Akai, Fresh & Co., Chutzpah Kitchen, Reves, and Kirshenbaum Baking Co. for opening their doors to showcase the success and ongoing promise of our downtown. 

As a reminder, the Town Council meets on Tuesday night. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE

Last call to register to march in the Memorial Day Parade! As always, this beloved Westfield tradition is led by the Martin Wallberg American Legion Post 3 to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. The Town is assisting the Legion by collecting parade participant information on our website. The deadline to register is May 22.

The parade route will be the same as last year with a later start time, beginning with the traditional remembrance ceremony at 10:00 AM in Memorial Plaza, and will then proceed down East Broad Street and turn left on North Euclid, ending in Mindowaskin Park, where all members of the public are invited for a fun gathering with music and refreshments. The Westfield Police Department will escort all participating veterans to Fairview Cemetery for the annual solemn service to be held there. The American Legion will also host its annual barbecue with music and entertainment from 2:00 - 5:00 at 1003 North Avenue. 

PROJECT PLAYGROUND

Thanks to Franklin second grader Paige Witte for allowing me to walk to school with her today. Paige’s mom Erika bid on a walk with the Mayor at an auction to raise money for Lincoln School’s Project Playground, which she has been spearheading with other parents. They are seeking to raise $125,000 to add accessible equipment to the Lincoln School playground, and have so far raised $112,000, thanks to the generosity of our residents, the Westfield Foundation, and The Optimist Club. Please consider donating to help them reach their final goal.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH

Have you cast your vote for HPC’s May Madness? We’re celebrating National Preservation Month with this online bracket challenge pitting historic home designs against each other in a style showdown. Each week, the public is invited to vote for their preferred architectural styles ranging from classical to Victorian to modern. Cast your vote to see which architectural styles move on to the Final Four at westfieldnj.gov/hpcmaymadness.

GRETA'S RUN

The 10th Annual Greta’s Run for Imagine will be held this Sunday, May 21. Runners, walkers, and rollers are welcome to register for this official USATF 5K race through Westfield!

Check in begins at 8:00 AM at Roosevelt School, which will be followed by the 5K race at 9:00, and the 200-yard Kids Fun Run at 10:00 for children age 10 and younger. The event will conclude with a Memory Walk at 10:15. Both the 5K and Memory Walk route will be lined with memory signs, available for purchase by anyone who wants to memorialize a special person.

Greta’s Run began ten years ago when a group of Greta Schoenemann’s friends decided to honor her memory with a 5K community race. Greta died on September 15, 2002, due to injuries she sustained when a branch fell on a group of students as they were eating lunch outside of Westfield High School. Proceeds will benefit Imagine, A Center for Coping with Loss. For more information, or to register or donate, visit runsignup.com/Race/NJ/Westfield/GretasRunforImagine2022.

LIFELONG WESTFIELD EVENTS

Thank you to Lifelong Westfield for hosting another successful Meet the Chiefs event this week, where Chiefs Battiloro and Duelks joined members of the senior community to discuss safety tips, fraud schemes, identity theft, and more. 

Lifelong Westfield reminds seniors of the following available programs in partnership with our first responders:

• File of Life Form: This form, completed on a voluntary basis, details a senior citizen’s current medications, health conditions, allergies, insurance, and emergency contacts, and is hung on the resident’s refrigerator for Police, Fire, and EMS to easily access in the event of a home-based emergency.

• Fire Safety Inspections: Seniors can register to have a home fire safety inspection conducted by the Fire Department, where they will identify any potential fire safety hazard improvements that can be made.

For additional information, or to participate in these programs, please contact the Fire Prevention Bureau at 908-789-4145 or fireprevention@westfieldnj.gov.

WHS ARTS ON THE LAWN

The Westfield Band program will host Arts on the Lawn (temporarily renamed Arts Indoors thanks to the impending rain!) this Saturday, May 20, from 11:00 - 3:00 at Westfield High School. This free event is open to the public and features jazz performances by ensembles from Westfield High School, Roosevelt & Edison Intermediate Schools, McKinley Elementary School, and Westfield High School choral groups. Attendees should bring their appetites, as food trucks featuring sweet and savory offerings will also be on hand. Proceeds will benefit the Westfield Band Program. Due to the expected rain, festivities will be moved indoors to the Westfield High School Cafeteria B (entrance in the rear of the building), with food trucks stationed in the back parking lot. 

WPD AND WFD YOUTH ACADEMIES

Our Police and Fire Departments are excited for their respective Youth Academies this summer! 

The second annual Fire Department Youth Academy is open to Westfield residents, age 14-18, and will run from June 27-29 at Westfield Fire HQ and Station #2. Cadets will learn lifesaving skills, firefighter tactics, and the different steps needed to pursue a career in the fire service. All Cadets will also receive their CPR certification. To apply to this free program, please pick up an application in the Westfield High School Guidance Office, or visit our website to print the application and email it to fireprevention@westfieldnj.gov.  The deadline for submissions has been extended until June 1. 

The Police Department Youth Academy will be held July 10-14, and is open to Westfield residents entering grades 9-12. Youth Academy students will start each day with a basic military drill and physical fitness activities to be led by a certified Westfield Police Department Physical Fitness Instructor and current John H. Stamler Police Academy Drill Instructor. Students will then head into the classroom for specialized instruction on criminal, juvenile and motor vehicle law, as well as an introduction to the court system, crime prevention and criminal investigations. They will also receive basic first aid instruction and CPR certification. The curriculum will include special guest speakers and demonstrations from various other law enforcement and public safety agencies. Applications for this free program can be found at wpdnj.org/youthacademy, and are due by May 22.

PRIDE MONTH CELEBRATION

Join us for our annual Pride Month celebration! The Pride flag raising will be held at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, June 7, on the Town Hall lawn, followed by a walk to Quimby Street for refreshments and music. The rain date will be the following day on Thursday, June 8.

TOUR DE WESTFIELD

Our resident community biking event, Tour de Westfield, is back for its second year! Save the date for Sunday, June 11, from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, for activities that include a two-mile family bike parade led by the Westfield Police Department, a WPD Bike Rodeo and the Tour de Tots for younger children on tricycles and scooters.  

Participants can also vie for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to a Westfield business by decorating your bike in the Bling Your Bike Contest. Or, compete to win $150 towards an ice cream or pizza party at a local eatery if you are the largest group to register and ride!  We will also give away eight $20 Downtown Westfield Gift Certificates, courtesy of the Downtown Westfield Corporation, to some lucky participants.

This year we are featuring a new activity for our more adventurous bikers called the Tour de Tricks, where children nine and older can learn how to jump a curb or see a wheelie demonstration up close. Jay's Cycle will also be on hand to perform safety checks on your bike. Entertainment will be provided by The Spinners. Based on our first annual event turnout, we are expecting a great day! Advance registration is required at westfieldnj.gov/tour-de-westfield.

Thanks to the Recreation Commission & Department for organizing this event, in collaboration with the Westfield Police Department, Bicycle Advisory Board, BRAKES Coalition, Green Team, and Downtown Westfield Corporation.

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH PROGRAM

The Westfield Regional Health Department and SAGE Eldercare are sponsoring a free educational session at the Westfield Memorial Library every Tuesday through June 20, at 10:00 AM, for adults age 55+ with long-term health conditions, as well as their caregivers. Participants will get the support they need, find practical ways to deal with pain and fatigue, discover better nutrition and exercise choices, understand new treatment choices, and learn better ways to talk with doctors and family members about health issues. For more information, please contact Amy Lewis at 908-789-4070 ext. 4080, or alewis@westfieldnj.gov.