Groundbreaking News!

Dogs Celebrating at DiMattina Dog Park

In case you haven't heard or visited the dog park this week, the renovation has finally begun! Parks and Recreation and elected officials held a groundbreaking ceremony earlier this week. Work has already begun on removing some trees and fences, and marking the area for the small dog run.

No estimates on how long the renovation will take, but we were told the park will reopen within the year. One official told us he thought it might be finished in late spring. You can be sure that Carroll Gardens Dog Owners Group will be keeping an eye on work going on in the park and staying in contact with Parks and our elected officials. If you would like to get involved, drop us a line! 

Here is the only news coverage I could find on the groundbreaking:

http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20131015/carroll-gardens/construction-begin-on-new-dimattina-dog-run-officials-say

http://www.broadwayworld.com/brooklyn/article/NYC-Parks-to-Break-Ground-on-450K-Renovation-of-Dimattina-Park-Dog-Run-1029-20131028

Dog Park Renovation Update

Illustration by Aaron Meshon

Carroll Gardens DOG member James A. has been keeping in touch with Parks and Recreation on the progress of our renovation. The latest news is that the final plans are out for bid, and construction will begin next summer with completion 3-4 months later. Of course this timeline could be delayed as it has before! When we have more information we will share it here and on our Facebook.

Still Waiting for Dog Park Renovation Start Date

Since we recently repaired and rehung our bulletin board at the dog park we've been hearing from more of you who saw our blog and email address posted on it. Some are asking about the status of our renovation. It's still in the works, but progress is slow. Since we made our recommendations to Community Board 6 and Parks back in January we have been waiting for news of a start date. Every few weeks we check in with the Dept of Parks and Recreation. We don't yet have a date on when the renovation will begin, but we were told that projects often take two years in design and then construction. 

The good news is that we WILL get a major renovation and the funding from our City  Councilmember Brad Lander and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz is in place. 

Here's the plan, in case you missed the news last year:

- new surface of crushed granite (like Tompkin's Square Park and others) with a drainage layer underneath
- an expansion, adding a separate small dog run in the adjacent vacant lot 
- new lighting
- new benches
- new water fountains

If you would like to get involved with planning events for the dog park, get in touch with us! We need your help to keep this group going!

Andrea

NYTimes Reports on Connecticut Off-Leash Battle

NYCdog, the umbrella group for NYC dog owners groups, was mentioned in this Feb 12, 2012 New York Times article. Parks Commissioner also makes a strong statement of support for dog parks and off-leash. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/nyregion/at-connecticut-preserve-a-battle-over-leashing-dogs.html?_r=1 

In New York City, years of restive debate were mostly quieted in 2007, when the Parks and Recreation Department announced that dogs would be allowed off leash in many large parks 9 p.m. to 9 a.m., making official what had been an accepted practice. Adrian Benepe, the parks commissioner, said that dog owners made parks safer by their presence “day in and day out, despite the weather.” 

...

In New York City, Mr. Benepe subscribes to the theory that dogs are less aggressive when they are allowed to socialize and exercise. Indeed, the number of dog bites reported in the city has plummeted in recent years, as the parks department has built dozens of dog runs and allowed dogs off leash. Still, he said, “the right to have your dog off leash doesn’t confer the right to inconvenience and injure other people.” 

Bob Marino, president of the New York Council of Dog Owner Groups, an umbrella organization, praised the city’s decision to formalize the off-leash hours. “Under this administration, the whole idea is ‘Let’s work together and talk,’ ” he said. “Is it perfect? No. But it allows a city with limited land and a lot of people and a lot of dogs to coexist.” 

Our Renovation in the Brooklyn Paper

Nice writeup of our planned renovation in the Brooklyn Paper today. I'm glad the good news is getting out more broadly!

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/35/5/dtg_dogruncarrollgardens_2012_01_27_bk.html

Brownstoner Post About DiMattina Dog Park Renovation

Brownstoner posted about the renovation presentation: http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2012/01/plans-surface-for-carroll-gardens-dog-run-upgrades/

You'll see some heated comments regarding the cost and the proposed new surface. Perhaps some of us who use this dog park should chime in. 

We have looked at the experiences of other dog parks nationwide and learned that no surface is perfect. Decomposed Granite, though controversial, has been recommended to us by other dog park volunteer groups. We are told it is a sterile surface that allows the rain to pass through if drainage is installed properly. Underneath it is fabric membrane separating it from a layer of gravel. There are many kinds of Decomposed Granite, and Parks has asked Carroll Gardens DOG to choose between the type used in Tompkins Square Park dog park and the Washington Square Park dog runs. We are investigating this week to determine which is the least dusty. Watering regularly with a sprinkler keeps the dust down. 

Regarding the cost, a couple of years ago I was told by someone in Parks that $450,000 is not much considering Parks spends a million on a comfort station. It's insane but it's how the city works. 
Overall we are pleased with the plan, which is close to our original proposal sent years ago. A separate small dog run will be added to the vacant land adjacent to the current space. We're getting new lighting, benches, and drinking fountains. 

We will share more news as we have it! 

Review of the Plans for Our Renovation

Sorry for the late notice folks. Tomorrow evening the Parks Department will present their plans for our renovation at a Community Board 6 Parks Committee meeting.

Wednesday, January 18
6:30pm
Cobble Hill Community Meeting Room
250 Baltic Street (Clinton/Court)
http://www.brooklyncb6.org/calendar/#18

The public is invited to comment. We will report on the details after the meeting!