KEARNY –
Canines rule now!
On May 10, the Town of Kearny made good on its pledge to give doggies a place to roam by opening its first-ever off-leash dog park.
The gates opened to welcome in all types of four-legged pooches at the newly created space in Riverbank Park at the foot of S. Midland and Passaic Aves.
Councilwoman Carol Jean Doyle, who strongly advocated for the enterprise, attended the ribbon-cutting event and reported that both owners and their pets seemed happy with the results.
Dogs are led through a gated main entrance and, from that point, owners escort them into either of two separate, enclosed yards, a 10,000 square-foot space reserved for dogs 25 pounds or lighter and a 6,000 square-foot area earmarked for those heavier than 25 pounds, where the canines can run and play.
And, while there are no town employees assigned to watch over the municipal facility, the town is looking to dog owners to be responsible monitors of their pets’ behavior and to be mindful about using available collection bags to pick up poop.
The town has posted rules for the use of the dog park at the facility.
And those found to be non-compliant by local gendarmes will face consequences: a first offense can result in a fine of up to $100; a second violation can bring a penalty of up to $200; and a third, up to $500.
The mayor and Town Council took the first step to codifying those rules last Tuesday by introducing an ordinance to regulate dog park use within Riverbank Park and will look to adopt them at a public hearing slated for May 24.
Although, technically, those rules can’t be enforced until 20 days after formal adoption, Councilwoman Susan McCurrie, head of the council’s ordinance committee, is urging dog owners to start getting into the proper swing of things now and respecting the property to minimize maintenance by the town’s public works personnel.
Here’s a sampling of those rules:
· Dogs must be accompanied by an adult (age 18 or older); that adult can accompany no more than three dogs at a time; and “no dogs in heat or puppies under four months [are] allowed.”
· No children under age 10 are permitted within the dog run enclosures.
· Dogs must be currently licensed and have current vaccinations and shots. No dogs with communicable diseases or infections will be admitted.
· Dogs must be leashed “until inside gated area.”
· Dogs must wear collars “at all times.” No “spike” or “choke” collars are permitted.
· Dogs must be removed “at first sign of aggression” or “if incessantly barking.”
· Owners must clean up after their dogs and are “responsible and liable for the actions and behavior of their dogs at all times.”
· All dog bites must be reported to the KPD.
· There can be no toys, balls, food or smoking in the park.
· The park may be closed for maintenance without prior notice.
Park hours are “every day of the week from dawn to dusk.”
A side issue related to the dog park came to the council’s attention in the form of a request by David Mach, as a “representative of the Community Garden,” just south of the park, “to plant trees and shrubs between the Community Garden and the dog park” in consultation with Neglia Engineering, the town’s consulting engineers.
Mach, who did not attend last week’s council meeting, told The Observer that the plan is “to create a natural sound and visual barrier between the two areas.” The proposed plantings, he added, are envisioned to be “native perennial flowering shrubs.”
At the council meeting, Mayor Alberto Santos said that the request “only came in today” but that Mach’s intent was “to get [the shrubs] in the ground as soon as possible.”
McCurrie said that several council members had some concern about doing something that could “impede access” to either the riverfront walkway or the nearby bocce court used by a local senior league. “We want to make sure we don’t interfere with another use in the immediate area,” she said.
Later last week, when asked for an update by The Observer, Doyle said the town had arranged to move some tables and chairs used by the Community Garden to help ease access to the court. “We also need to ensure that we maintain a clear path to the riverfront walkway,” she said. “My understanding is that a Neglia representative has done a walk-though of the site with David and I’m hoping that we can work out some type of arrangement that will be in the best interests of everyone concerned.”
