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Mostly Cloudy A dog park without many dogs
Village to install turf surface at lightly-used facility
Just three months after it opened, village officials are about to embark on a significant change to the Valley Stream Dog Park. Dogs, and their owners, don’t like the surface and are staying away from a facility that has otherwise gotten good reviews.
The large rocks, which cover the ground of the park, have not been a hit with local canines. According to Richard Infield, president of Friends of the Valley Stream Dog Park, the surface is painful for the dogs, especially on their paws. The only dogs that can tolerate it, he said, are younger animals with more flexible ankles.
Pat Russo, of Valley Stream, brought her two dogs there twice but won’t go back until the surface is changed. “I’m afraid my dogs are going to get hurt,” she said. “To me, that surface is an injury waiting to happen.”
Russo said she was surprised that the rocks were chosen after so much deliberation before the park opened about what kind of surface to have. She added that the rocks are even difficult for people to walk on.
Village officials have taken notice at the park’s lack of activity. Bob Barra, the village clerk, said the park is often empty even on nice days. The few dogs he has seen, have been walking on the boards around the perimeter of the park. He said only 87 people have registered to use the park, yet there are more than 2,000 licensed dogs in Valley Stream. The actual number of dogs is probably twice that, he said.
“I just see no activity, and we’re in the midst of summer,” he said. “We’ve got to try and make it work.”
The village will replace the rocks with field turf, similar to what is used at Brooklyn Avenue School. He said it will cost about $1 to $1.50 per square foot, and expects the total cost to be between $15,000 and $20,000.
The cost would have been closer to $8 a square foot, but the village will be purchasing turf remnants left over from other projects. The village is expected to contract with LandTek Group, which has installed hundreds of turf fields, mostly for sports.
Barra said that the field turf looks like grass and is permeable. A layer of crush concrete will have to be put down under the turf to ensure proper drainage. Mayor Ed Fare added that the turf would require some routine maintenance by village workers, and would need to be washed down if there are any long periods without rain.
“We feel if we put this down and do it the right way,” Fare said, “we’ll go from the worst surface to the best surface.”
Deputy Mayor John Tufarelli called field turf the “Cadillac of floors” for a dog park.
After nearly a year of planning, the dog park opened to much fanfare on May 5. A grand opening celebration included a ribbon-cutting ceremony and several pet-related vendors. The park is located behind Village Hall, adjacent to the rail road tracks. There are separate areas for small and large dogs.
While the village will pick up the initial cost of the turf, the Friends group will actually pay for it. The group will give the village $2,000 right away, then a minimum of $1,000 a year until it is paid off. Infield said that once the new surface is down, his group can begin to host fundraising events at the park.
Infield said that the surface is the obvious problem. He has heard gripes about it from numerous dog owners, and people have posted their complaints on the group’s Facebook page. Field turf, he said, is one of the solutions the group has been pushing for.
“The fact that the dog run is not being used is the most meaningful feedback,” he said. “Apart from the surface, it’s an amazing facility. There’s no other reason people aren’t coming with their dogs.”
He noted the amenities the park has including a shelter, obstacles, running water and clean-up bags.
Russo said she welcomes the transition to field turf, and will be back with her dogs when that becomes a reality. “I love the idea of a there being a dog park right in our town,” she said. “I can see us being there several times a week.”
Until then, it’s off to the facility in Bay Park for her and her pets.
