Bid for JVP Dog Run Hits Dead End

By Conor Greene

The push for a dog run in Juniper Valley Park has hit a road block after three proposed locations there were rejected by a Community Board 5 subcommittee. With no viable locations having been identified within the Middle Village area, the board has suggested the new Elmhurst Park as a possibility.

At last week’s CB 5 meeting, Dog Run Subcommittee Chairwoman Kathy Masi reported that the three proposed locations in Juniper Valley Park – near the area along 80th Street and Dry Harbor Road dedicated for passive recreation, between the soccer field and track in the western portion of the park, and behind the roller hockey bleachers – had been rejected earlier this month.

“Basically, we had opposition from all over the place, including residents, community groups and civic associations,” said Masi of local reaction during a December visit to the sites, an event she called “one of the worst experiences” she has had during her years of community involvement. “It was just not a nice situation – I was embarrassed by the behavior of all sides,” she added.

The community board eventually voted to send a letter to Community Board 4 about the possibility of setting aside space in Elmhurst Park, which is under construction at the former gas tanks site on Grand Avenue near 74th Street. Part of the thinking behind that idea is since the land is still “in the process of being dug up,” it would be easier to construct on there, said Masi.

On Tuesday, CB 4 District Manager Richard Italiano said he hasn’t received the request yet and would have to run it by his full board before commenting. A spokeswoman for the City Parks Department said the agency is open to considering proposals for dog runs provided a committed group agrees to maintain the area and a funding source is identified to fund creation and upkeep of the facility. “Once these precursors are in place, Parks can consider the feasibility” of a specific site such as Elmhurst Park.

Still, the idea of using space within the six-acre Elmhurst Park didn’t set well with some board members including Manny Caruana. “I can’t believe we would choose to put dogs where we put people. There isn’t room for both there,” he said. An informal straw poll of the board showed that about two dozen members, or roughly half the group, were in favor in general of having a dog run in CB 5.

In an interview Tuesday, Masi stressed that the letter to CB 4 is merely a suggestion. “From what I got, it didn’t look like they had open arms, and that’s okay,” she said. “I wouldn’t want to impose something on someone, so if they don’t want it, fine.”

There are other issues to hammer out on top of finding a suitable location, including a plan for funding both construction and ongoing maintenance of the dog run, according to Masi. “Looking for a dog run [location] was a little premature,” she said. “Part of this is my fault; I assumed they knew what they were doing.” She has since provided the group with information on forming a nonprofit organization, but in her view “nobody’s done anything else expect come to meetings and say they want a dog run.”

Masi also said that the group advocating for the dog run has shrunk considerably after members found out that installing a dog run would mean the end of off-leash hour privileges in Juniper Valley Park. Currently, dog owners can allow their pets to run free in the park during certain early-morning and late-night hours.

For a location to be deemed appropriate, it would likely have to be in an out-of-the-way area not near homes. Masi said that while some advocate have pointed to the run in Forest Park as a possible model, she found that area to be “disgusting” during several visits there. “I would never advocate to have that situation in Juniper Valley Park,” she said. “Of every run I’ve looked at, the really nice ones have private funding.”

At this point, it appears the push for a dog run has hit a dead end, unless the dog run group can come up with a funding plan and an appropriate location is agreed upon. “I’m willing to see this to the end, but I’m not sure where the end will lead,” said Masi. “We’ll wait to hear from CB 4, and then decide what the next step will be. Hopefully by the next meeting we will have something to discuss and the dog run people will have their ducks in order.

Tour of Potential Dog Run Sites Planned

Two New Locations in JVP on Table

By Conor Greene

A tour of potential locations for a dog run in Juniper Valley Park is planned for Saturday, as the community attempts to come to an agreement on an appropriate place for a permanent, fenced in area for canines to exercise and socialize.

Members of the Juniper Valley Park Dog Association have pushed for a dog run within the area of the park near the baseball fields already used during off-leash hours, but the proposal has been met with opposition from some neighbors and park goers. Instead, two other areas of the park – behind the roller hockey rink’s bleachers and a spot near 80th Street will be investigated on Saturday, according to Kathy Masi of Community Board 5.

A third potential location – land adjacent to the CSX railroad tracks along 57th Road near 78th Street – was suggested by Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley. While officials might look into it in the future, there are concerns that the area isn’t appropriate due to its proximity to homes and lack of parking, according to Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association.

Masi also sought to end rumors that space at Atlas Park in Glendale is being considered. Speculation began when Atlas Park was mentioned in an e-mail sent out by the board about the upcoming tour, but Masi said that was only mentioned when she raised the possibility of having a park in Glendale to the dog association members and is currently “not on the table.”

The issue has been a hot-button topic since the dog association first presented the plan to the community board more than a year ago, with some residents arguing that the current area used during off-leash hours (which would be eliminated if a dog run is built) is not appropriate because of its location in the middle of the park and due to damage dog urine has caused to nearby trees and plants.

Residents wanting to take part in Saturday’s investigation of the two new potential sites in Juniper Valley Park should meet at noon in front of Crowley’s office at 64-77 Dry Harbor Road. While Crowley is not attending the session, according to her press secretary, she vowed at last week’s CB 5 meeting to fund the project if an appropriate location is agreed upon. A Parks Department official is expected to attend the tour, according to Masi.

Juniper Dog Run Supporters Frustrated Over Lack of Progress

Funding, Location Issues Jeopardize Proposal

By Conor Greene

The controversial push for a dog run in Juniper Valley Park reared its head once again, as supporters of the plan accused community board members of purposely stalling the ef- fort in hopes of preventing the proposal from becoming reality.

Last week’s Community Board 5 meeting began as many have over the past year – with members of the Juniper Valley Park Dog Owners Association requesting that a permanent enclosed dog run be created in the area currently used during off-leash hours. The proposal has been met with backlash from some residents who don’t want space in the park dedicated for a dog run, and a recent study by the city Parks Department estimated the project would cost $750,000.

The mood of last week’s meeting took a contentious turn when association member Kate Burns said she believes “some members of this [CB 5 subcommittee] may be working against the best interests of dog owners.” She said she was invited to join the subcommittee, which was recently formed to explore the idea, but was told “in no uncertain terms that we will never, never get a dog run” in Juniper Valley Park.

Burns added that the co-chair of the committee [Kathy Masi], told her that pushing the idea would result in a “ten year pissing match” with members of the Juniper Park Civic Association, which opposes the plan.

Several other Dog Owners Association members spoke in favor of the proposal, including 18-year-old Tom Scotti, who spoke against board members who are “determined to make sure our dream of having a dog run in Juniper Valley Park will never happen.” He said he grew up near the park, plans to spend his adult life in Middle Village and vowed to continue the fight until the dog run is built.

Joe Pisano, president of the dog association, expressed frustration that after attending CB 5 meetings for 12 consecutive months, little progress has been made. “Unfortunately, I don’t think we are any closer than we were a year ago,” he lamented, adding that he was also told to “forget the idea” because there will never be a dog run in Juniper Valley Park.

“And you wonder why we get so frustrated over this,” continued Pisano. “I really feel this is ridiculous. We really feel like you care less and put us off until we go away. We’re not going away.” He added that board members should “check the personal feelings at the door” and act on the behalf of the community at large.

Finally, John Rowan, who is a former district manager of Community Board 4 and a 22-year Middle Village resident, questioned the process by which the board has handled the group’s request. “I’m concerned about where we’re heading with the park,” he said, questioning why the subcommittee has yet to meet on the issue and why the board’s budget request simply mentioned a dog run within CB 5’s confines. “We don’t want it in CB 5 anywhere, we want Juniper Park,” he said.

Later in the meeting, board District Manager Gary Giordano seemed to pour cold water on the association’s request. He called the group’s initial proposal “huge” and said it would have been as large as a football field. “I honestly was shocked at the magnitude of that,” he said, adding that in his view, there doesn’t seem to be “much interest” in the run outside of the association members.“Maybe something can be worked out, but I’ve got to tell you, I don’t think there is much of a constituency among members of this board for a permanent, all-day run” at that location.

Masi was not at this month’s CB 5 meeting, but later told The Forum that she has been actively working on this issue and denied telling association members in no uncertain terms that it will never happen. However, she suggested that their stance that the run must be located in Juniper Valley Park might lead to an impasse, and said she felt it was best to wait until after the November 3 election before formally moving forward on the issue.

Next month, Masi is scheduled to visit two properties outside Juniper Valley Park that Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley’s office has identified as potential sites for a dog run. She said that association members need to think “a little more globally about this” and keep an open mind about the location.

“In a fiscal crisis, spending all that money is ludicrous and I don’t think anyone in their right mind would put up $750,000 for a dog run,” said Masi. “We want to get this done, but we don’t want to put a dog run in an area where the community won’t be happy about it. I don’t want to please fifty two and offend five thousand... I don’t see huge support from the community for a dog run anywhere.”

Masi noted that while funding for a dog run was included in the board’s capital budget requests, it ranked dead last after members prioritized each item. “If that doesn’t send a message... To dig their heels in the ground and say they only want it in Juniper, if that’s the message, my response is we’re all wast- ing their time. I don’t want to fight with these people, but they have to be a little more global.”

Group Makes Plea for JVP Dog Run

By Conor Greene

After months of asking Community Board 5 to support a dog run in Juniper Valley Park, a group of dog lovers formally pitched the idea to the advisory board’s Parks Committee meeting on Tuesday.

Despite the poor weather, a large group of area dog owners - including members of the Juniper Valley Dog Association - attended the meeting at the park’s Brennan Fieldhouse. While the Parks Committee was receptive to investigating the idea, major issues moving forward include where the dog run would be located within the park and how it would be funded.

Joe Pisano, president of the dog association, said his group is seeking a one-year test to see if a dog run would work in Juniper Valley Park. With the creation of the dog run, the current off-leash hours between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. would be eliminated. “We love this park – that’s why we want to be here. If you give us the opportunity, we will make it the best dog park in the city” he said, noting that volunteers are ready to help out. “We will clean it up and fundraise… We’re ready to do whatever we have to do.”

Pisano said his group’s preference is to have a permanent dog run built in the location between the baseball fields that is currently used during off-leash hours. “Everyone seems to feel like the spot we’re in is the best spot,” he said. “We would like to stay there if we could… We think it’s the right size, location and has great drainage.”

However, the Parks Committee and Juniper Park Civic Association are opposed to placing a permanent dog run in that area due to the damage caused to mature trees by dog urine. The Parks Committee instead suggested three alternate possibilities: behind the bleachers at the roller hockey rink, behind the fieldhouse near 71st Street and Juniper Boulevard South or between the end of the track and the nursery house near Lutheran Avenue and Juniper Boulevard North.

According to committee chairman Steve Fiedler, the JPCA “consistently and constantly” has received complaints about noise in the park. “Some locations, unfortunately, are just not set for [certain] things,” he said. “The ground has worn away since you’ve been there.” He added that he didn’t think the location was a good for off-leash hours because the noise has been disruptive to neighbors.

JPCA Vice President Lorraine Sciulli, who lives near the park, said that the dogs are disruptive to the neighborhood. “The park is completely surrounded by houses,” she said. “I don’t know why you think nobody is hearing your dogs barking.”

Pisano responded that the dog run would allow canine owners to use the park at all hours, meaning there would be fewer people at a time. Currently, dogs are only allowed off-leash between when the park opens at 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. “Isn’t it loud when a baseball game is going on?” he asked.

Manny Caruana questioned why a section of the park would be set aside for animals. “You got to remember – the park was not built for animals, it was built for humans,” he said. “I never thought about taking a part of the park for my dog.”

Pisano said there are more than 100 dog runs and parks throughout the city. “It’s not like it’s never been done,” he said.

Fiedler noted that a formal process must be followed for the proposal to become reality. That would include a public hearing after a specific design is complete. “No location will be picked without these procedures,” he said. “This is the first step,” with the discussion expected to continue at future Parks Committee meetings this summer. “If a location can be established, fine. If it can’t, fine too,” he said.

Much of the discussion centered on damaged caused to the trees and grass in the current off-leash area, and a Parks Department employee said that the impact on that section of the park is caused by a combination of factors, including drainage from the ballfields. “The dogs definitely contributed to the loss of grass,” he said.

Paul Toomey, president of the dog group K-9 Korral in Forest Park stressed that it’s important to provide shade for the dogs. “Whatever the plan is, they should have trees there,” he said. Toomey also questioned whether it’s appropriate for Fiedler to run the meeting since he is also a JPCA member. “You obviously have a biased opinion about the dog run,” he said.

Fiedler responded, “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have an open mind. I don’t think that’s a conflict at all.”

Dog owner Rich McGraw tried to keep the focus on how to best move forward on this request. He said there is likely one location out of the three or four suggested “that we could all live with… I don’t think any of us want to see the trees die… If we know some of the potential pitfalls, we can start looking at resolutions.”

Robert Holden, president of the JPCA, said his group would support a dog run in Juniper Valley Park provided it is done properly. Otherwise, “it will quickly become an unhealthy dust bowl,” he said, adding that “the JPCA won’t support just a fence.” He suggested that the group ask Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) for capital funding to help defray the costs. “We just want to see it done properly,” he said. We will work with you.”

In a statement, Crowley said she supports the idea of having a dog run in Juniper Valley Park. “I believe a dog run would be a healthy addition to the community. I look forward to working with community members on a proposal that best suits the interests of our neighborhood.”