Keeping Our Dog Runs Safe
July 31, 2009
In a city where most residents lack backyards, dog owners rely on dog runs to exercise their pets. This is especially true on the Upper East Side, where Community Board 8 boasts more licensed dogs then any other neighborhood in the City. Dog runs are an oasis—they allow dogs to work off their energy and socialize while the owners become part of a tight knit community.
The Upper East Side has access to four runs, two at Carl Schurz Park and two at the East 63rd Street Esplanade. My dog, Nina, and I visit the large dog run in Carl Schurz Park at least twice a day, so I understand that it is not only important to have access to a dog run, but to ensure that the environment is safe, clean, and appropriately landscaped.
Recently, neighborhood dog owners have voiced their concerns about the surfacing at the new large dog run at the East 63rd Street Esplanade. I have heard reports that the newly installed soft surfacing has drainage problems, and that there is an excess of dirt and dust.
In response to this, I have reached out to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and they have assured me that Parks Department staff will soon begin the process of removing the problem surfacing to better assess the drainage issues and make necessary alternations that address the myriad of problems. The surface will then be reinstalled, and similar to the surfacing at Tompkins Square Park, it will be packed every three inches during installation to prevent any material from becoming loose and sandy.
This is a step in the right direction, and I am pleased that the Parks Department has been responsive to these community concerns.
I will continue to work on behalf of dog owners to ensure that our voices are heard and that all of our beloved pets are safe at our dog runs.
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12 Responses to “Keeping Our Dog Runs Safe”
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315 East 65 Street
New York, NY 10065
Tel 212-860-4906
Fax 917-432-2983
Email KellnerM@assembly.state.ny.us
PLEASE DO NOT BRING THIS SURFACE TO EAST 63 STREET FOR A THIRD TIME. RETHINK YOUR DECISION TO BRING IT TO CARL S PARK AS WELL. THEY HAVE LOTS OF PROBLEMS WITH IT IN THOMPKINS SQ PARK -CONTRARY TO WHAT NYCDOG WANTS YOU TO BELIEVE. IT FLOODS AND IT IS DIRTY> A DOG RUN SHOULD BE USABLE EVERY DAY< EVEN AFTER THE RAIN - AND IT SURE RAINS A LOT IN THIS TOWN. ALSO - IT IS NOT WHEEL CHAIR ACCESSIBLE - HARD TO MANEUVER
Does it bother you that none of the dog runs on the Upper East side are handicap accessible? And that the only handcap accessible dog run — the one located in Pavilan Park–was closed and replaced with a dog run that is no longer handicap accessible. I would say that this is a step backwards, wouldn’t you?
Mr. Kellner,
Have you ever spent any time at the E. 63rd Street Dog Run? I urge you to do so if you haven’t. You will soon learn that a 3rd installation of this inherently faulty surface will NOT make it any safer/better for dogs and humans alike.
Please do not allow this surface to be reinstalled. It will be a supreme injustice to the community and an irresponsible use of our tax dollars.
I appreciate you concern for us. The dog owners and their dogs. However nobody seems to be responding to the most important issue we have been addressing for a year now.Weither it is granite,sand,or pebbles as the parks you have mentioned. All are dirty,dusty,smellie and unhealthy as well as not accessable for handicapped people. Since day one when the new run at 63rd St opened we all knew there was a serious problem. Also being so close to the FDR and it ’s fumes is not healthy. Plus the very poor drainage,the awful benches and NO shade. I myself have also written Jessica Lappin 2 times with NO response.To spend the tax payers money a third time is beyond reprehensible.It is such a waste of good money. The same problems will still be there.Dogs can not play as well in those runs as they can in cement/hex tile runs where the balls can bounce and be thrown well. Plus their pads get hurt in all the other runs and many get sick from the sand/pebble/granite surfaces. Many dogs will not even pick up a ball with sand on it. The cheapest and most effective solution is just give us back the Pavilion run which we all very happily used for over 14 years with almost NO maintenance and NO complaints. It has great drainage and all you have to do is hose it and keep the garbage pales clean. It is away from the FDR, it has shade, it has great seats and everyone loves it. If sand people want the new run with sand,let them have it, but it will be to no avail because you will always have a smellie and NOT healthy run there. The second much more expensive alternative would be to put the cement hex tiles as the Pavillion has. In the long run that will cost you much less because the maintence will be much lower. Keep the little run with sand for the little dogs since they seem to be the ones who want sand or whatever. If you would call one of us and talk to us you would see how easy this all can be. If you want my # e-mail me with your tele# and I will call you back as you are a public offical and I do not want my # on the internet. I can and will be very happy to call you at your office.
Thanks,
Patti Siegel
Thank you for a concise, balanced statement on the dog runs within your district. Unfortunately, the comments posted by those who favor covering the runs in concrete mislead more than enlighten.
Yes, there were errors made in the installation of the surfacing at E63. Parks listened to those who calmly and responsibly raised the issue. Upon examination it is obvious that the soft surface needs some corrections. However this does not mean it has been a failure.
Soft surfaces are far safer and better for dogs. While they are not conducive to bouncing balls, they are much safer for dogs interacting among themselves. They are not slippery when wet and they are better for dogs with arthritic issues.
Since opening, the new E63 runs have attracted hundreds of additional, frequent users. Dogs and owners now have a easily accessible, fenced run that is safe for dogs and owners. There is light, water, security fencing, and benches for owners.
It would be good to have a permanent shade structure when funding allows. Also, it would be good to revisit the issue of handicapped access. Perhaps a small apron of poured concrete near the openings would permit those in wheelchairs to access the runs while their dogs run and play with other dogs.
Those who would cover the runs in concrete are ignorant of the high cost to install the hex-shaped concrete pavers. It would cost hundreds of thousands to do this at any of the runs. Additionally, they distort the issues based on their personal biases; not fact. They may be well meaning, but they remain uninformed because of their philosophical blinders.
As the Assembly Member knows, many construction projects require modifications once use patterns are established. It seems that this is what is planned for the esplanade dog runs.
The soft surface does require user-volunteers to help periodically rake the surface and to help keep it clean. Especially in these tough economic times, user involvement in Parks is ever more critical; not just in dog runs.
For an excellent overview of the dog run surface at East 63rd, look at this NY1 video of the Tompkins Square (East Village) run that was renovated last year with the identical surface as that at East 63rd on the esplanade: http://www.ny1.com/Default.aspx?SecID=1000&ArID=84302
it is incomprehensible to me that the city is resurfacing the dog run on 63st for the third time with the same unsafe and dirty surface. i am 100% sure that if you do this you will eventually have to spend money resurfacing the dog run again.
and how sad that you have the chance to make dog run accessible to people with disabilities and are wasting this opportunity.
I happen to love the current dog run. I get the feeling my dogs love it also–they run, roll, dig, swim–things that most dogs like to do.
HOWEVER I WAN’T WHAT IS BEST FOR MY DOGS.
That being said I think a team/panel of people that are experts in dog run design, vets that are familiar with possible ailments that could be caused by a dog run–should be who decides what surface should be used–since we can’t actually talk to our dogs. We can also talk to other cities that have installed dog runs with similar surfaces.
Amazing that Monica McLaughlin calls the Pavilion a dog run, when it’s no such thing. Also amazing that Monica McLaughlin posts photos online of her dog illegally offleash in East River Park. She’s clearly not a responsible dog owner and puts her dog and others in danger with her behavior.
The DOPR has clearly evaluated the “dueling” petition of those who are pleased with the E63rd St dog run’s surface and those who wish to keep their apartments pristine. The clear MAJORITY as judged by Borough Commissioner Castro are those who favor the new surface. It’s a small group of people–less than two handfuls, who act out at CB meetings, tossing out the F bomb, kicking each other.
Frankly, since the assemblyman was at the CB meeting where the Pave the Run MINORITY disrupted the meeting with profanity and physical violence against each other, I’m amazed that Assembly Member Kelner gives them any credibility whatsoever. The DOPR and CB certainly don’t after experiencing their shameful demeanor.
Some neighborhood dog owners may have voiced their concerns about the surfacing, but MOST are very happy with it. More importantly, the dogs love it. There are no drainage issues. Minutes after any of the recent storms, there is not 1 puddle on the surface. The only time we we do have drainage issues is when people dump the pools into the surface rather than use the drains or when someone uses a hose and douses the surface to create puddles. This surface has been used successfully at W 72nd St & Tompkins Sq as well as numerous dog runs across the the country for years. Why is it that only here on the UES it doesn’t work? Answer: Because it does work but some UESers don’t like dust. This is a DOG Run not a playground or a PEOPLE Run. Not only do the dogs love it, it is what’s best for them. Some should stop thinking of themselves & their shoes & think about what is best for their dogs.
I own 2 shaggy white Westies. I no longer use the large dog run, because it is such a nasty mud hole, and I cannot keep up with the maintenance although I tried. Plus, because there are more dogs using it, and because those dogs tend to be much bigger, and because the surface material has not been changed in almost a year now, it has got to be filled with bacteria and giardia. It is sand–the same stuff used to filter giardia and bacteria from water supplies.
My Westies and I do continue to use the small dog run. (We love the pools, especially the big bone.) Because so few dogs use that run, and because those that do use it are so much smaller, the surface material has not had nearly as much urine or fecal matter mixed into it. My dogs come out of the small dog run pretty clean. The pools stay fairly clean too. I am able to do the maintenance in the small dog run, cleaning the benches, spraying down the fences and garbage cans, etc. in about 10 minutes a day. It is doable. The small dog run is a totally different experience.
Dog run users who do like the crushed stone (dolomite marble) surface nearly all own small dogs and use the small dog run. (I can provide all of their names, addresses, phone numbers, their breed of dog and even their dog’s names if need be. Hey, this is a smal community.)
And no, I am not a role model of the responsible dog owner, nor is it something I aspire to be. I am not sure what my dogs being off leash on the esplanade has to do with the price of tea in China or the surface material of any given dog run. Whatever.
NYCdog led the successful effort to formalize and codify off-leash rules in city parks and we campaign for new dog parks within city parks. We reach out to others with equal frequency; always seeking ideas and learning experiences that will help dog owners and our groups.
We at NYCdog are the collective voice of responsible dog owners throughout the city. We are all volunteers; bringing myriad experiences and talents to the quest to provide all dogs with areas in which to socialize with other dogs and humans. We help responsible dog owners to form groups centered on their local parks whether it’s an off-leash park or one containing an enclosed dog parks. NYCdog also assists citizens/boards in establishing pet friendly rules in buildings. And we advocate for policies that will reduce the number of dogs and cats euthanized needlessly.
NYCdog and group members participate in conferences, on-line and email discussions and the exchange of research with dog park groups and municipalities from throughout the country. We share information and glean it from others on a daily basis. Much of what we know has been learned via the good and bad experiences of others.
WE SUPPORT THE CONSTRUCTION OF WELL DESIGNED DOG PARKS IN EVERY PARK UNDERGOING RENOVATION OR THAT IS NEWLY BUILT. AND WERE FUNDS PERMIT, WE SUPPORT DOG PARKS AS ADDITIONAS TO OLDER CITY PARKS.
BASED ON EXPERIENCE AND RESEARCH, WE SUPPORT SOFT SURFACES IN ENCLOSED DOG PARKS.
We invite all to check our story: NYCoffleash.com
To find the rules applicable to dogs in your park, check: nycgovparks.org/facilities/dogruns
To license your dog go to: nyc.gov/html/doh/html/vet/vet-doglicense-form.shtml
Ms. McLaughlin: Don’t sell yourself short. It’s not just your dogs illegally offleash on the Esplandade. It’s also your public advocacy of law breaking in our State Parks as you’ve advocated on your personal blogs (also with photos of your dogs illegally offleash and your open call for lawbreaking). I think that says a lot about you.
You clearly have little regard for the safety of your own dogs, your neighbors, and you clearly don’t think rules apply to you. And from what I’ve seen of your behavior at public meetings, which includes using the F-bomb profanity at your own Community Board members, kicking one of your associates, intimidating/threatening park patrons not only has your message been heard and rejected, but so has the messenger.