“Can we all get along?”
Back in May, I published an editorial from a local mom which called for enforcing the ban on dogs in Gantry Park. In hearing her reasons and then reviewing her letter, I thought she made a pretty rational case for the ban. At the conclusion of the letter, I tacked on my own addendum with a few more points on the subject, followed by my usual self-promoting solution:
Fortunately, there is a partial solution. As anyone who has been by the QueensWest Field in the last year knows, there is an unofficial dog run just north of it by the picnic tables. The solution is to get rid of the never-used tables, fence it all in, and make it an official dog-run. That should take about 72 hours. As a token of your appreciation for dispensing my Solomonic wisdom, you can call it the LICtalk Dog Run.
Lo and behold, it seems that the powers-that-be were actually in the midst of implementing my brilliant idea, when a movement began to quash it based on it’s proximity to a newly built school! Thus, I feel compelled to defend this future monument to LICtalk.
The main arguments for not putting in the dog run, center around children’s safety, distraction of kids in class, and filth from excrement. Well guess what? We live in an urban environment, kids are subject to all of the above no matter where the dog run is located. They are in close proximity to dogs everywhere they go: the sidewalks of Center Boulevard, the hallways of their apartment buildings, not to mention the elevators! As for the distractions of a dog run, as anyone in LIC knows, there’s no one around between 9am and 5pm Monday thru Fridays anyway. Also, most dogs owned by residents of the local shoeboxes surrounding the proposed run, are little yappers. As for dog poop, this is a zero-sum game, as there certainly won’t be any less surrounding Queens West Field. It’ll just move to 5th Street, where many owners currently curb their dogs, and 98% of them clean up after them. Plus, after being a de-facto dog run for the last year, do you really think owners are going to stop using the area as such? There are eight dog-friendly towers containing 3200 apartments within 200 yards of the dog run, with no other place to let them run free. The reality is they are not going to schlep them every single day, more than a quarter of a mile each way, to access the other dog runs. It ain’t gonna happen. Instead, you will have an “open” dog run replete with all the aforementioned problems. The current space was previously an underutilized sliver of poorly planned picnic tables, made redundant by those actually in the park.
As for the thought of putting it somewhere else in Gantry, there is nowhere else, and if there was, then you would be back to square one of having dogs in, and all over, Gantry Park! Furthermore, based on the pace of current local projects, by the time all the studies were done, all the politicians signed off on it, and it were to be completed, there’s a good chance Obama would no longer be our president. So let’s stick with the original plan, and keep the LICtalk Dog Run exactly where it is.
Hey dog owners, mans best friend can’t speak or write, only you can. If you want a dog run on the northern part of Center Blvd., you better make your voice heard: Councilman Van Bramer’s office 718-383-9566 or jvanbramer@council.nyc.gov
10 Years On, a High Rise Hood in LIC – now that it’s completed, TF Cornerstone looks back. Plus, a HUGE restaurant surprise: Trattoria L’Incontro is coming to Center Boulevard!
TF Cornerstone Tops Out It’s Last High Rise on Center Blvd
5Pointz Mural Painting at John Brown Smokehouse – now sporting 5Pointz colors on their patio, as if you needed another reason to go
Anonymous says
July 30, 2013 at 9:43 amThe reason that little park is rarely used by humans is precisely the reason it’s used by dog owners:
(a) humans don’t go there since it’s right next to a lot of noisy and dirty ongoing construction
(b) it stinks like dog piss and crap
(c) there are plenty of big dogs invading the space, and no one enforcing the dog free zone
Once the new school is up and running and most of the construction is done, that area will be highly appealing for kids. In fact, I think this grassy area with trees should be fenced off and made apart of the school for kids to eat their lunches and do work outside.
By even suggesting that dogs and kids are on the same level is just immoral.
* Look at a google map of manhattan there is about 1 dog park for every few mile radius – maybe less than 9 for ALL OF MANHATTAN. But I guess having 3 HUGE dog parks in the small Hunters Point area is not enough?
Fido says
July 30, 2013 at 12:31 pmThat little plot of land is useless, not to mention uneven. So throw me a bone and make me legal.
Anonymous says
July 30, 2013 at 12:42 pmKids= Dogs…love it. Kids are actually less than dogs as it is illegal for humans to defecate and urinate in public! Dog for some unknown reason get pass on public urination and defecation. The entire neighborhood is one big dog run! Why do you need another! There are very few areas in the city where you do not need to worry about dog land mines or piss everywhere. Most city parks allow for dogs, Gantry State Park is one of the few places without a constant threat of dog munitions.
As for the dog run, the reason the picnic tables are unused is because they are disgusting. The other weekend I watched a few people attempt to use them and bring their food from the LIC Flea to the area but were forced out by the stench of dog shit and piss. One of them even was lucky enough to step in a fresh pile that a very thoughtful dog owner left for the rest of us. I suppose it was cleaned up by that nice fellow’s shoe. That will teach him for trying to use the picnic area for its intended purpose.
When the school is up and running and all of the construction is finished the place will likely be used more, assuming the dog shit stops.
It never fails to amaze me how many dog owners think its fine to have their dogs shit on the plants or trees. I am sure all of the gardeners love finding the little gifts of love the dogs left for them. Please have some consideration for your fellow humans who have to live in your dogs aroma and land mines.
deleted says
July 30, 2013 at 1:50 pmTalking about bites…
The absolute worst example is the guy who walks his german shepard off-leash around avalon north.
The 2nd worst example is the weak lady with the powerful white pitbull who’s not strong enough to keep her dog from running off.
Silly@gmail,com says
August 3, 2013 at 12:38 amDon’t forget the old guy who is a dog walker that harasses people on a regular basis.
Ro says
July 30, 2013 at 1:56 pmI think the picture above shows a prefect place for a dog run. TF Cornerstone can take a portion of the front yard from their new building (picture currently shows a red dumpster & a crane) and designate it as a private dog run for all their tenants. That can be a great amenity they can offer their dog owing tenants.
Just asking says
July 30, 2013 at 10:17 pmRo, are the tenants of the 5 TF Cornerstone buildings all supposed to walk thru the lobby of that building with their dogs to access that private dog run? Yeah, I can definitely see them doing that. Oh, and what about the tenants of the Rockrose building, Avalon North, and The View with dogs…. Not to mention the new building on 5th St? Try again.
Ro says
August 2, 2013 at 10:02 amJust Asking, unfortunately I can’t sketch it out for you on this post but believe me there is a way to design a dog run in the above mentioned area without having to provide access through the lobby. Therefore, I don’t need to try again, however, if you have a better idea please do share.
deleted says
July 30, 2013 at 2:02 pmRO – too lazy to walk a few blocks down to the REALLY NICE dog run right on the water in the new park?
Ro says
July 30, 2013 at 3:27 pmNot lazy at all – I don’t even own a dog. I am just trying to provide a solution to a problem that affects our kids and dog owners. The current proposed location does not make any sense, so instead of just criticizing I wanted to provide a possible solution.
Chuck says
July 30, 2013 at 2:19 pmHere we go again, it’s the Hatfields and McCoys of LIC!
Ms. LIC says
July 30, 2013 at 5:37 pmMore like the Israelis and the Palestinians, or the Catholics and the Protestants in Northern Ireland. To those (many) of us without children or dogs the two are indistinguishable.
Missy says
July 30, 2013 at 2:40 pmLost in all this brouhaha though mentioned in the news, is the fact that we are getting a great new restaurant in LIC: Trattoria L’incontro.
jmsnyc says
July 31, 2013 at 8:33 amWhere did you read about this new restaurant coming to LIC? Is it a second location from the one in Astoria? Do you know where exactly it will be opening?
LIC Dog Owner says
July 30, 2013 at 3:54 pmThis does not have to be a dogs vs. kids thing, one OR the other. Instead, the idea is to find the optimal solution. We get it that most people, including some dog owners, don’t want dogs in Gantry Park proper, running free or even leashed. Instead, fencing the current informal dog run in the separate annex, across the street from the park, is a very fair compromise.
The author of this post makes a very valid point: if a dog run isn’t provided in the northern portion of Center Boulevard, owners will still usurp the current area anyway. Do you really think there will be any enforcement??? Plus, the dog run would only need to run halfway down the northern side of the field, thus finishing before it hits the beginning of the school, and leaving the picnic tables undisturbed.
LIC Solutions says
July 30, 2013 at 5:33 pmhi lictalk:
great blog.
but, i don’t think having more dog runs is the solution.
for example, the state park beside the vernon dog run is an unofficial dog run. having more dog runs will increase the amount of dogs in the area and lead to more and more overflow into dog-free zones.
just my opinion based on anecdotal evidence of the vernon dog run.
Scooby-doo says
July 30, 2013 at 8:49 pmThe crux of the post’s argument is that the dog run will relieve the dog pressure on the rest of the neighborhood and I don’t think it holds much water. It will likely only attract more dogs that soil the area even more. The rest of the streets will still stink and there will still be unpicked up dog droppings. The dog run will only destroy the picnic area that will become useful once the school is open and is used more. Assuming they fine the dog owners who are ignorantly destroying the park.
Thalia says
August 3, 2013 at 12:28 amWhat does hold water is all the garbage in Vernon run left by dog walkers. I am so tired of looking at those bacteria pools everyday on the way to the train.