Sports stars join state, city and school leaders to celebrate new opportunities for Linden’s children and families.

LINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NJ (Nov. 2) — Linden children have new places to swing, compete and explore following the unveiling of improvements at Dorothy Ford Park, where accessible playgrounds, a synthetic turf ballfield and connecting walking paths offer more opportunities for recreation and time together.

The Oct. 30 ribbon-cutting celebration brought Superintendent Dr. Atiya Y. Perkins and district leaders together with acting Gov. Nicholas Scutari, Mayor Derek Armstead, baseball great Dwight “Doc” Gooden and former New York Giants star Ottis “O.J.” Anderson to celebrate an investment in the neighborhood’s children and families.

After the formal ceremony, "Doc" Gooden took the mound and delivered the ceremonial first pitch to Mayor Armstead at the new home plate, to the delight of the gathered crowd. Moments later, a Little League player crouched behind the plate as the former major league star fired a fastball. The ball snapped into the youngster’s glove.

It was a fitting opening for the neighborhood’s new diamond: a pitcher celebrated by generations of baseball fans sharing the field with a child whose own baseball story was just beginning. Around them, families and neighbors gathered to celebrate a park ready for more games, more friendships and more afternoons together.

For Scutari, who grew up in Linden, the scene carried a familiar meaning. “These parks didn’t just represent recreation,” he said. “We grew up there.”

Room to Play, Space to Belong

Earlier in the program, parks and recreation Director Keith Pressey had called out to the young athletes. “Where are our little leaguers?” he asked.

The new field gave them plenty to look forward to. Dugouts await teams preparing to take the diamond. Spectator seating gives families a place to follow the action. Pressey said girls softball players would also share the field.

Beyond the ball field, the improvements offer something for residents at different stages of life. Accessible playground equipment creates more opportunities for children to play together. Face-to-face swings allow a child and an adult, or two children, to share the ride. Outdoor exercise equipment gives teenagers and adults a place to work out.

Connecting walking paths makes it easier to move throughout the grounds, including for residents using wheelchairs and other mobility aids. “We have amenities for everyone,” Pressey said.

Pressey said work builds on earlier improvements to basketball and pickleball courts and picnic facilities, giving families more reasons to stay a little longer.

Hometown Memories, New Opportunities

Armstead knows what an afternoon at this park can mean to a child. He grew up a block away, when playing there meant coming home covered in red dirt. The bathwater, he recalled, would turn red. The park was a good place then, he said. Its improvements give another generation more to enjoy.

“Teamwork makes the dream work,” Armstead said.

He emphasized the city’s commitment to working with the Board of Education, county and state to improve opportunities for children. School playground equipment and the recently completed football and soccer field at Al Kalla Park were among the examples he cited.

For Linden Public Schools, that cooperation reflects Priority 5: Community & Stakeholder Partnership, connecting families, schools and community leaders in support of students. Neighborhood recreation spaces give children opportunities to practice teamwork, build confidence and form relationships beyond the school day.

The Partnerships Behind the Park

Scutari said the state contributed $2 million toward the Dorothy Ford Park project. His support, he explained, grew from an enduring connection to the city and the parks where he spent his childhood.

With both parents working, he recalled, the neighborhood park was where he spent the day under the supervision of recreation staff. “I was raised in these parks,” he said.

Union County Commissioner Chairman Joseph C. Bodek said a $75,000 grant awarded in 2025 through the county’s Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund helped replace playground equipment.

He described the improvements as an investment in everyday community life: children playing, families spending time together and neighbors enjoying the outdoors.

A Name With a Neighborhood Legacy

As members of Dorothy Ford’s family stood to be recognized, the celebration turned toward the woman whose name the park carries. Bodek remembered Ford from his service on the school board and recalled her determination to secure what her neighborhood needed. “She fought hard for her community,” he said.

Ford’s grandson, speaking on behalf of the family, described her commitment to justice, safety and community pride. He thanked city officials and the parks and recreation department for continuing to honor her through the park’s rededication.

Her advocacy now has a renewed setting: a field where children will learn the game, playgrounds where families will gather and paths that help more neighbors take part.

Building a Place to Gather

The people behind the construction described the planning that brought those features together.

An Athletic Fields of America project manager credited cooperation among city leaders, contractors and the community. His colleague Thomas Knapp said the synthetic turf uses no loose infill, including the black crumb rubber pellets found on some artificial fields.

Playground representative Ryan Stewart highlighted the face-to-face swings and the thought involved in selecting equipment families could enjoy together.

Jim Davis of World Construction, whose crew installed playground equipment, spoke about the satisfaction of hearing children outside, making noise and having fun.

“We’re not only building parks, we’re building community,” Davis said.

Anderson, who works with World Construction, echoed that message. Seeing children throwing a ball, he said, reinforced the importance of giving them places to get outside and play.

A Field for the Next Generation

Gooden encouraged young athletes to show their appreciation for the facilities by playing hard, respecting coaches, teammates and opponents, and enjoying the game.

He also expressed interest in returning to work with Linden’s children, sharing his experience and knowledge. The friendships formed on a neighborhood field, he said, can last a lifetime.

The celebration offered a reminder that baseball’s connections stretch across generations. Pressey recognized a resident he identified as 94 years old who had wanted to walk to the park to meet Gooden. The program paused for a photograph with the longtime fan. Another fan brought a replica World Series ring for a picture with the former pitcher.