COMMENT BY
Wendy from Bloomfield, NJ
COMMENT ABOUT PLACE
Bloomfield, NJ
COMMENT
Newark is a great place to live
I didn't grow up in Newark-but I lived in the Ironbound section- it's a great neighborhood. The restaurants are superb! The city is well planned with parks in the different wards; the best sections are the Ironbound ("called Down-Neck") Forest Hill, Vailsburg and University area, the Weequaic area also has community pride for mainly black middle-class residents. The North-side is mainly hispanic. The parks are well maintained and there are concerts and programs. The light-rail, PATH trains, etc can connect you to New York City, shore, mountains etc. The clean-up of the Passaic River should add some nice riverwalks. But the best thing about Newark is the people; they are really fun-loving. There are outdoor street fairs, shopping is diverse (nearby outlet malls, IKEA etc.)If you like a bargain-check out the Broad St. shops. There's a lot of historical buildings around the university- and the library and museum are great. The state should put more money into reducing the diesel truck routing to improve air quality. And some sections have been neglected. The drugs are there-but the dealers don't bother anyone-they're just trying to make a living.I live right outside Newark now and its great to take the train to work and be close to everything. Overall, its an old east-coast city that just needs some TLC. The Geraldine Dodge Foundation's Poetry Fest in October at the PAC center should be amazing-don't miss it.