Born to run: Off-leash dog area proposed Residents want county dog park at Wolf Hill in O'port BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer Joan Osgoodby and Mojo, her Bernese mountain dog. Dog owners in several local towns are gathering support for a proposal to have part of a county park in Oceanport designated as a dog park. The initiative is being organized by a Sea Bright resident who has reached out to the Monmouth County Park System to add an off-leash dog area at the county-owned Wolf Hill Recreation Area in Oceanport. "Trying to find areas to take your dog is a huge problem for a lot of towns," said Joan Osgoodby, chairwoman of the Sea Bright Recreation Committee. "The parks are dog restricted, the beaches are restricted," she said, adding, "A fenced-in dog park in Oceanport would be a hub for surrounding towns." As of last week, Osgoodby said recreation departments and residents in Long Branch, Oceanport, Sea Bright, Eatontown, Little Silver and West Long Branch are on board to support a proposal to the county. Osgoodby explained that advocates for the dog park would like to see an area of the 91-acre Wolf Hill Recreation Area at the corner of Wolf Hill and Port-au-Peck avenues in Oceanport, which is owned by the county park system, designated as a dog park. "Currently [the park] is not developed and is just sitting there, basically unused by our community as a whole," Osgoodby said. "Located in the park, there is a semiopen area with some trees. Even that area would suffice for a dog park and it wouldn't take away from the open fields," she said, adding, "It would also provide shade for dogs." Long Branch Recreation Director Carl Jennings said Friday that a dog park sounds like something Long Branch would support. "We are waiting to see a written proposal before signing on to anything," Jennings said. "And I would have to run it past the mayor and council. "But," he added, "It is something we definitely need in the area." He continued, "I know there are a lot of people who like to walk their dogs on the beaches, but because of our summer population it is not allowed." Jennings said that dogs are also restricted in parks in Long Branch. "Most people do not clean up after their dogs in the parks and it is not fair to the people who use the parks," Jennings said. "There is a need for a space for people to be allowed to take their dogs," he agreed. Osgoodby said the proposal is still in its beginning phases and she is still trying to build community support. "Basically we need a large fenced area with double gates, a garbage can for pet waste and maybe a few benches for the seniors," she said. "As it is now, everyone brings their own water and bowl for their dog, so the [county] would not have to consider running any water lines into the expense of the project." Osgoodby said she plans to reach out to Monmouth Beach and Fair Haven to ask if those towns would support the initiative. Osgoodby reached out to the county and was told park system has no immediate plans to create a fenced-in dog area at any of its parks. "They told me the best thing for me to do is to show local support, go to [county] board meetings and show a general interest," she said. "Our next step is to get a meeting with all the directors of the recreation departments in these towns and agree on a proposal to present to the park system." Currently, many dog owners take their dogs to an unfenced field on a 30-acre tract of vacant land at East Main Street and Port-au-Peck Avenue, which is owned by Monmouth Park racetrack. Plans call for that land to be developed for a 44-unit, age-restricted housing complex by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, with construction scheduled to get under way in the spring. Osgoodby said she has been taking her dog MoJo to that field every day for the past three years. "The field is going to be developed and then we really have nowhere to take our dogs," Osgoodby said. "And even now, the area is not fenced in." In November, 5-month-old pup Sandy ran off the field and into the street and was hit by a car. The dog sustained injuries that required several surgeries at the Red Bank Animal Hospital, according to Osgoodby. "Hundreds of people bring their dogs to this field," Osgoodby said. "We all talk about how nice a closed-in dog park would be in the area," she said. The closest off-leash dog area to the towns that rely on the field in Oceanport is at Thompson Park, a county park in Lincroft. "For us to drive out to Thompson Park is a 40-minute drive," Osgoodby said. "Where are we going to take our dogs?" she asked. "We need a place local." Monmouth County Park System Public Information Officer Laura Kirkpatrick said Monday, that she was not aware of a request for a dog park in Oceanport. "What I can tell you is that there is no money in the budget to create an off-leash dog park for 2007," Kirkpatrick said. "We have an off-leash dog park at Thompson Park," Kirkpatrick said, adding, "We encourage municipalities to do something similar in their towns." Oceanport Recreation Chairman Michael Tober said a dog park in Oceanport is just what the borough needs. "This would be nothing but a win-win for Oceanport," Tober said. "I am 100 percent in support of one," he said, adding, "I would go to bat for it. I would go to any meetings I had to. All dogs need to run and sometimes they do not want to walk as slow as their owners," he said. Tober said the Oceanport recreation committee was planning to take a vote on supporting the initiative at Wednesday's meeting. "I have talked to several committee members and I am pretty sure they are going to support this," Tober said. If the recreation committee votes to support the initiative, they will then present the council with a resolution to vote on. "I would be surprised if there would be any opposition," Tober said. Osgoodby said the Sea Bright Recreation Committee has already received approval from the mayor and council to support a proposal asking the county for a dog park. "Many of us feel the Wolf Hill Recreation Park … would be the perfect spot," she said. Silver and West Long Branch are on board to support a proposal to the county. Osgoodby explained that advocates for the dog park would like to see an area of the 91-acre Wolf Hill Recreation Area at the corner of Wolf Hill and Port-au-Peck avenues in Oceanport, which is owned by the county park system, designated as a dog park. "Currently [the park] is not developed and is just sitting there, basically unused by our community as a whole," Osgoodby said. "Located in the park, there is a semiopen area with some trees. Even that area would suffice for a dog park and it wouldn't take away from the open fields," she said, adding, "It would also provide shade for dogs." Long Branch Recreation Director Carl Jennings said Friday that a dog park sounds like something Long Branch would support. "We are waiting to see a written proposal before signing on to anything," Jennings said. "And I would have to run it past the mayor and council. "But," he added, "It is something we definitely need in the area." He continued, "I know there are a lot of people who like to walk their dogs on the beaches, but because of our summer population it is not allowed." Jennings said that dogs are also restricted in parks in Long Branch. "Most people do not clean up after their dogs in the parks and it is not fair to the people who use the parks," Jennings said. "There is a need for a space for people to be allowed to take their dogs," he agreed. Osgoodby said the proposal is still in its beginning phases and she is still trying to build community support. "Basically we need a large fenced area with double gates, a garbage can for pet waste and maybe a few benches for the seniors," she said. "As it is now, everyone brings their own water and bowl for their dog, so the [county] would not have to consider running any water lines into the expense of the project." Osgoodby said she plans to reach out to Monmouth Beach and Fair Haven to ask if those towns would support the initiative. Osgoodby reached out to the county and was told park system has no immediate plans to create a fenced-in dog area at any of its parks. "They told me the best thing for me to do is to show local support, go to [county] board meetings and show a general interest," she said. "Our next step is to get a meeting with all the directors of the recreation departments in these towns and agree on a proposal to present to the park system." Currently, many dog owners take their dogs to an unfenced field on a 30-acre tract of vacant land at East Main Street and Port-au-Peck Avenue, which is owned by Monmouth Park racetrack. Plans call for that land to be developed for a 44-unit, age-restricted housing complex by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, with construction scheduled to get under way in the spring. Osgoodby said she has been taking her dog MoJo to that field every day for the past three years. "The field is going to be developed and then we really have nowhere to take our dogs," Osgoodby said. "And even now, the area is not fenced in." In November, 5-month-old pup Sandy ran off the field and into the street and was hit by a car. The dog sustained injuries that required several surgeries at the Red Bank Animal Hospital, according to Osgoodby. "Hundreds of people bring their dogs to this field," Osgoodby said. "We all talk about how nice a closed-in dog park would be in the area," she said. The closest off-leash dog area to the towns that rely on the field in Oceanport is at Thompson Park, a county park in Lincroft. "For us to drive out to Thompson Park is a 40-minute drive," Osgoodby said. "Where are we going to take our dogs?" she asked. "We need a place local." Monmouth County Park System Public Information Officer Laura Kirkpatrick said Monday, that she was not aware of a request for a dog park in Oceanport. "What I can tell you is that there is no money in the budget to create an off-leash dog park for 2007," Kirkpatrick said. "We have an off-leash dog park at Thompson Park," Kirkpatrick said, adding, "We encourage municipalities to do something similar in their towns." Oceanport Recreation Chairman Michael Tober said a dog park in Oceanport is just what the borough needs. "This would be nothing but a win-win for Oceanport," Tober said. "I am 100 percent in support of one," he said, adding, "I would go to bat for it. I would go to any meetings I had to. All dogs need to run, and sometimes they do not want to walk as slow as their owners," he said. Tober said the Oceanport recreation committee was planning to take a vote on supporting the initiative at Wednesday's meeting. "I have talked to several committee members and I am pretty sure they are going to support this," Tober said. If the recreation committee votes to support the initiative, they will then present the council with a resolution to vote on. "I would be surprised if there would be any opposition," Tober said. Osgoodby said the Sea Bright Recreation Committee has already received approval from the mayor and council to support a proposal asking the county for a dog park. "Many of us feel the Wolf Hill Recreation Park … would be the perfect spot," she said.