Jackson Heights Dog Park Proposal
By:
JH CREW
Dog Park Rules:
1- Open and close one safety gate at a time when entering and exiting the dog park.
2- Unleash your dog within the safety gate before releasing your dog into the dog park.
3- Stay conscious of the environment. Using headphones is not advised.
4- Dogs must be under voice control and in sight of owners at all times.
5- Dog owners must carry a leash for each of their dogs using the dog park.
6- Any dog exhibiting aggressive behavior must be leashed and removed immediately.
7- Owners must clean up after their dogs and dispose of the waste.
8- Dogs must be licensed and vaccinated.
9- Puppies using the park must be older than 4 months.
10- Spayed or neutered animals are recommended.
11- No smoking or food allowed within the park.
12- No dogs in season are allowed.
13- Limit: Three (3) dogs per owner per visit.
14- No children under twelve (12) years of age are allowed in the park.
15- Park users and dog owners assume all risk related to the Dog Park use.
16- Dogs with communicable diseases are not allowed on park premises at any time.
17- Quickly stop your dog from digging and fill any holes they make.
18- Honor other patrons’ requests regarding their dogs.
19- Keep all gates closed at all times.
20- To keep the park clean, please do not groom animals in the park.
21- If a fight breaks out, all involved owners must immediately help break it up.
22- Always ask if it is safe to join when another dog is in the park.
23- No rawhides and toys in the park when more than one animal is present.
24- All other city park rules apply.
http://www.nycdog.org/DLdocs/Poster_Apr06.pdf
Alternative regulations for the access of children:
1- It is recommended that children be supervised by a parent or guardian.
2- Children
' Ages 1-5 must be within arm's length of parent at all times.
' Ages 6-13 must be under strict adult supervision at all times.
' Ages 14-17 can enter park unaccompanied if their parents' signed Release Agreement is on file.
3- Some dogs exhibit unpredictable behavior around small children. For the safety of children please do not bring children under the age of 12 into the dog parks.
Owners/custodians of a dog are responsible for the acts and conduct of their animal at all times when it is in a city park. Park users and dog owners assume all risks related to use of the dog parks.
http://home.earthlink.net/~ejlmp/dpd.html
Park Design
Park specifications:
The dimensions of the dog park are approximately 115’ by 80’. We hope to allocate approximately 35% of the park for small dogs and 65% for large dogs. There are some permanent structures in the area, whose functions we are not certain of. The surface of the area is currently a mixture of grassy areas and pavement.
Fencing:
There is currently an approximately 7’ grid iron fence around the entire park. This fence is ideal for keeping people out while the park is closed. However, in order to keep the dogs safely inside, we suggest the addition of a 4’ to 6’ chain link fence immediately inside the current fence.
The entry gates will consist of a single opening from the street that leads into a small gated area inside the park. This area will have two openings: one into the small dog park, the other into the big dog park. Each of the gates will have a simple locking mechanism that will allow them to close and stay closed easily.
The fence dividing the small dog park from the large dog park should be tall enough to restrict the larger dogs from jumping over it, but low enough so that neighboring dog owners can communicate with one another. We suggest approximately five feet high.
Water:
The proposed water fountain will be located along the fence border between the two parks, and will have fountains for people to drink from as well as spigots on both sides of the fountain.
Garden:
The garden that surrounds the park will serve multiple purposes. It will beautify the park for passers by, and will also serve as a buffer zone between the gravel and the street to keep it from getting kicked around. The dimensions of the garden will vary, as the design calls for a curved pattern, but it will remain in the 3’-5’ range. Since there will be dogs roaming freely in the area, we think the garden should have sturdy greenery, such as small bushes. These will be small enough for visitors to look over and view the dogs in the park. The garden will have a brick border a few inches higher than the level of the gravel, and the ground surrounding the shrubbery will be filled in with woodchips.
Surface:
The surface of the park will be covered in gravel, also referred to as decomposed granite. This material is ideal for cushioning the dogs’ paws as well as for allowing runoff to clean the park when it rains. There is a similar surface in many of Manhattan’s dog parks, such as the ones located in Washington Square park. Grass is not advised as a surface because it requires constant maintenance and may retain a foul odor.
Garbage Cans:
There will be two garbage cans, both located along the dividing fence between the two dog parks to provide access from either section of the dog park.
Benches:
There will be six benches throughout the park, three in each section. The benches should not have large openings between wooden boards, as is common for benches. This design is dangerous for dogs, as their legs can slip through and injure them. Solid wood seats for the benches would be preferred.
Obstacles/ Structures:
Some dog parks, such as the one located near Chelsea Piers, have obstacles to keep the dogs entertained and exercised. Some simple structures that we would like to include are ramps with platforms that the dogs can climb and stand on. These also provide shade on hot days (see below). Additional structures that would make the park attractive and unique could include fake fire hydrants, hoops to jump through (see below) and small structures for dogs to explore (see below).
Other Necessary Supplies:
In order to keep the park clean, we will also need two pooper scoopers, garbage bags, and a broom to keep the gravel off of the gates opening into the ground that are currently in the park. It would also be beneficial to have a hose for the purposes of cleaning the ground, cooling off the animals, and disrupting any fights that may break out.
Questions:
1) Will we be able to put the water fountain in the suggested location, or will it have to be in a specific location?
2) How will we organize the garbage disposal of the park?
3) Will we be able to use what looks like a storage facility in the park?
4) Will the huge gates (large enough for trucks to pass through) that are currently there remain?
5) What are all of the structures in the park? Are they dangerous?
6) How can we start a bank account for donations which would be allocated to supplies and maintenance of the park?
7) How will the insurance be worked out, if it is necessary?
8) Is there any regular pest control in the area?
9) Would we be able to arrange a system with a lock box and key to enable closing the park at night?