If Fido is looking forward to romping in a dog-dedicated park in Hopewell Borough any time soon, he’s out of luck.
Hopewell Borough Council discussed the concept of a dog park at a meeting last year in response to a resident’s request for one, and it was on the agenda again at the council’s Feb. 1 meeting.
The intent at the council’s meeting earlier this month was to sound out the neighbors who live near a possible location for a dog park, although the council has not decided whether it wants to pursue a dog park.
That possible location is the former Rockwell International Corp. property on Somerset Street, which needs to undergo environmental remediation. A timetable for the work has not been set.
“We spoke to the property owner and they are not adverse to a dog park or open space [once the remediation has been completed]. They don’t know when it will be remediated,” Mayor Paul Anzano said.
Doris Galuchie, who lives near the Rockwell International Corp. property, told borough council that an informal poll among the residents on Elm Street – some of whom own dogs – showed they were not in favor of a dog park.
“We don’t see any advantage to a dog park. Some people use [the Rockwell property] for their dogs anyway. There is not a terrible need for a dog park,” Galuchie said.
Mayor Anzano replied that the potential for a dog park on the Rockwell International Corp. property was the result of a “passing conversation.” He told the Elm Street residents that Hopewell Borough officials wanted to hear from them. Some of those properties border the former Rockwell site.
“We brought it to your attention. We wanted to take the temperature [of the neighbors] – that’s all we are doing,” Mayor Anzano said, adding that officials wanted to “sound out” the neighbors’ feelings about it before pursuing a dog park.