07 May ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO DEDICATES ‘PATRICIA CHAMBERS GROVE’ IN ESSEX COUNTY BRANCH BROOK PARK IN HONOR OF PHILANTHROPIST AND BRANCH BROOK PARK ALLIANCE FOUNDER PATRICIA CHAMBERS
Published on May 7, 2025
Newark, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced the dedication of the Patricia Chambers Grove in Essex County Branch Brook Park in Newark on Tuesday, May 7th. The dedication recognizes the numerous contributions made by Ms. Chambers as a founding member of the Branch Brook Park Alliance, which has partnered with Essex County for more than 25 years to revitalize and enhance Essex County Branch Brook Park. In addition, the County Executive also announced the comprehensive renovations that were completed in the Patricia Chambers Grove, which include the creation of a formal seating area and walking path along with other upgrades to enhance access to the park.
“Patricia Chambers, along with Pat Ryan and Barbara Bell Coleman, took the initiative over 25 years ago to form the Branch Brook Park Alliance and create a partner that the County could rely on to assist with the revitalization and care of Branch Brook Park. The civic involvement by Ms. Chambers is unmatched and greatly appreciated and demonstrates how impactful stewardship from the public can be in our Parks System,” DiVincenzo said. “Naming this beautifully designed and landscaped grove in her honor will remind present and future generations of her numerous contributions and hopefully inspire them to care for our parks as much as she did,” he added.
“Today, I am filled with joy and gratitude to see this serene and beautiful space. Thank you to Joe D. and his team. Working together we have contributed to the enhancing the beauty of the land and creating a lasting legacy that can be enjoyed today and in future generations,” Ms. Chambers said.
“You lifted this park up because you understand the pivotal role that our parks have in our lives and providing us with a place to breathe. Because of your support, this park is one of the best urban places in the state,” Senate Majority Leader and Deputy Chief of Staff Teresa Ruiz said.
“You have been the most devoted champion of preserving and revitalizing Branch Brook Park to ensure that it remains vibrant and purposeful. Your involvement and leadership has shown generations what a wonderful place this park can be,” Branch Brook Park Alliance Co-Chair Mary Sue Sweeney Price said.
“Your legacy lives in everything we do, from our outreach activities that get thousands of people involved in the maintenance of Branch Brook Park to our wellness activities. We are honored to collaborate with the County to dedicate this monument in your honor,” Thomas Dougherty, President of the Branch Brook Park Alliance, said.
Ms. Chambers and the Branch Brook Park Alliance have been extraordinary partners with the County of Essex and have coordinated their fundraising activities to support DiVincenzo’s vision of revitalizing Essex County Branch Brook Park and transforming the park into a destination. The Alliance has raised in excess of $60 million to support numerous projects have been undertaken by the County (which has invested more than $100 million in Branch Brook) and Alliance, including the modernization of playgrounds, baseball, softball, soccer, tennis and basketball facilities; the preservation of historic structures such as the Ballantine Gates and Octagon gazebo; planting of Cherry Blossom trees and other landscaping; installation of a new rubberized walking track and football field; and restoration of the Prudential Concert Grove and Kiyofumi Sakaguchi Memorial Grove (Kiyo Grove).
The plaque dedicated to Ms. Chambers begins with a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” It continues: “Patricia Chambers is engaged in a multitude of organizations that work to improve the quality of life, health and wellness of others, to promote education, arts and culture and preserve and enhance open public spaces. In 1999, Ms. Chambers, along with Barbara Bell Coleman and Pat Ryan, became a founding member of the Branch Brook Park Alliance, understanding that an independent conservancy was needed to help the County maintain historic Branch Brook Park, which opened in 1895 and is the first county park created in the United States. The Alliance has been an extraordinary partner of Essex County, raising over $60 million to invest in Branch Brook as of 2024 and leveraging their fundraising with County government funds to support Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.’s vision to modernize every section of the park and transform it into a destination. Naming the revitalized grove at the Heller Parkway entrance to Branch Brook Park as the ‘Essex County Patricia Chambers Grove’ is a fitting tribute to an individual who has played an integral role in preserving and expanding the park’s role in the health and vitality of our community.”
Ms. Chambers also is engaged in other philanthropic organizations that work to improve the quality of life, provide exceptional educational opportunities for children with disabilities and promote the preservation and enhancement of open spaces. These include serving as a member of the Board of Trustees of the MCJ Amelior Foundation which has provided immeasurable support and guidance to a broad range of organizations, contributing grants to support the arts and culture, health and education, and empower residents to become independent and overcome poverty; a member of the Board of Trustees of the P.G. Chambers School in Cedar Knolls which provides an educational setting to prepare children with disabilities to engage in their community, increase their confidence and expand their capacity to lead full and productive lives; member of the Advisory Board of the Central Park Conservancy in New York City and a Founding Board Member of the Women’s Association of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. She also is the owner and Chairwoman of the Board of Lambert Bridge Winery in Sonoma County, California.
The Patricia Chambers Grove is located in the Northern Division of Branch Brook Park at the entrance on Heller Parkway in Newark. The open area was modernized with a stone-paved walking, ornamental pathway lighting, formal sitting areas and enhanced landscaping. In addition, across the street by the Althea Gibson Tennis Complex, sidewalks and steps were renovated to make access safer. The improvements transform a long overlooked and underutilized area of the park into a welcoming gateway and formally link it to the adjacent North Ward neighborhood
Rhodeside and Harwell from Newark designed the improvements. ZN Construction from Elmwood Park was awarded a publicly bid contract for $1,344,000 to perform the construction work. The Essex County Public Works Department monitored the project to avoid delays. The design work was funded with a grant from the Branch Brook Park Alliance. The construction work was funded with a grant from the NJ Green Acres program and through the Essex County Capital Budget.
Revitalizing Essex County’s Branch Brook Park
The Branch Brook Park Alliance has been the primary partner with Essex County to revitalize Branch Brook Park, which opened in 1895. Park enhancements have been supported with grants from corporations, the New Jersey Green Acres program, the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund, philanthropic organizations and community members. In addition, the Alliance has sponsored a variety of programs to clean the waterways, spruce up the park, maintain the cherry tree collection, develop an urban farm, among other activities.
The three ballfields in the Northern Division of the park were modernized with synthetic surface infields and natural turf outfields in 2024 and the new Cherry Blossom Welcome Center was opened in 2023. The historic Ballantine Gates off of Lake Avenue were rehabilitated and preserved in 2021. The Branch Brook Dog Park was opened in 2019. A new synthetic grass surface was installed on the Robert Clemente Baseball Field in 2019. Synthetic grass surfaces were installed on the Ray Dandridge and Jerome Greco Little League Fields in 2018. A bronze bust of Frederick Law Olmstead was dedicated in 2018 and a bronze bust of Mendelssohn was restored and rededicated in 2017; both are located in the Prudential Concert Grove. A playground designed with a cherry blossom theme was opened at the Essex County Cherry Blossom Welcome Center in 2015. The Barbara Bell Coleman Welcome Center and Concourse Hill upgrades, along with the opening of a two-mile, synthetic surface walking track, creation of a children’s garden at the Cherry Blossom Welcome Center, renovation of a well in the Park’s Northern Division, the rehabilitation of the Reservoir Walls in the Park’s Southern Division and modernization of the Clifton Avenue basketball courts were completed in 2014. The bronze statue honor the late tennis legend Althea Gibson was dedicated and the 20-court tennis complex named in her honor received a complete makeover in March 2012 and the field house in the tennis complex was renovated in July 2012.
A multi-phase project to upgrade the lakefront in the Southern Division was completed in April 2012. It included the restoration of the historic Prudential Lions statues and balustrade, the rehabilitation of two buildings for restrooms and public meeting space, updating the music court with new pavers and landscaping. The music court overlooking the lake was dedicated as the “Prudential Concert Grove” to recognize the corporation’s ongoing support to restore the Park, and a memorial cherry tree grove was rededicated in honor of Kiyofumi Sakaguchi, who was President and CEO of Prudential International Insurance at the time of his death.
The renovation of the historic Octagon Fieldhouse in the Essex County Stephen N. Adubato, Sr. Sports Complex was completed in April 2011. Completed in 2010 were a project to pave the park roadway, upgrade walking paths, and install historic lighting in the section of the park from the Cherry Blossom Welcome Center to Heller Parkway, the planting of 600 Cherry Trees and other trees throughout Branch Brook Park and the paving of the park roadway from Mill Street to Washington Street.
In September 2009, the Middle Division Recreation Complex was renamed as the “Essex County Stephen N. Adubato, Sr. Sports Complex,” in honor of the founder of The North Ward Center and Robert Treat Academy. In August 2009, a synthetic surface football/soccer field was constructed and named after NFL Hall of Famer and Barringer High School alumni Andre Tippett. Earlier in 2009, a “demonstration project” in the Branch Brook Park Extension enhanced landscaping, added Cherry Trees, improved pathways and modernized entranceways into the park from Franklin Avenue. The Bloomfield Avenue Bridge that passes over the Middle Division was rehabilitated in 2009.
A replica of the historic Octagon Shelter in the Southern Division of Essex County Branch Brook Park was built in 2007 and the baseball field complex known as the “three diamonds” was upgraded in 2007. The baseball/softball complex in the Branch Brook Park Middle Division was reopened in April 2005 after a remediation and modernization project, and the historic restoration of the Park Avenue Bridge was completed in 2005. Entrance enhancements, new fencing and landscaping along Clifton Avenue and Mill Street, and a major improvement project along Lake Street have made the park more inviting.
The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system established in the United States. The Park System consists of more than 6,000 acres and has 23 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, Treetop Adventure Course, ice skating rink, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, two miniature golf courses, golf driving range, six off-leash dog facilities, a castle and the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens. Branch Brook Park was created in 1895 and is the first park in Essex County’s system. At 359.72 acres, it is the largest county park in Essex.