Recession may kill dog park plan

HOWELL — The recession of 2009 is taking a toll on humans and dogs alike. During the Feb. 3 meeting of the Township Council, Mayor Robert Walsh said municipal officials have discussed the idea of abandoning plans to build a dog park at the Bonim recreational facility. The 178-acre Bonim tract has frontage on Easy Street and Lakewood Farmingdale Road (Route 547).

Dog parks typically permit owners to allow their pets to run off-leash. Some dog parks are divided into separate areas for small dogs and large dogs. As originally conceived, the dog park was going to be built at the Bonim recreational facility with a matching grant in the amount of $169,000 from the Monmouth County Open Space Grant Program. In the original Bonim recreational facility plans there was money allocated for a dog park.

Township Manager Helene Schlegel said the municipality has not yet acquired the funds needed to match the county grant.

The dog park was scheduled to open this spring. Proposed amenities were to have included water fountains for humans and dogs; pet waste stations; dog agility obstacles; a shade structure; benches; separate entrance and exit vestibules; landscaping; natural grass berms; a thick stone dust surface along the perimeter of the fences; a natural grass surface on the center areas; and parking areas.