Dog Park Gets A New Proposed Home In Howell

While part of the time at Tuesday's Town Council meeting went toward residents airing their complaints about the town's snow clearing ordinance, the good news from the meeting was aimed more for the four-legged residents.

Deputy Mayor William Gotto announced that plans for a new dog park are going forward at a different location than had been originally proposed. As recently as a few months ago, the place for dogs to go and play had been proposed to be held on Easy Street by Soldier Memorial Park. 

Gotto said on Tuesday that after environmental concerns were expressed about that location, a new venue at Oak Glen Park on Preventorium Road was chosen. The Oak Glen facility is more than 60 acres in size but Gotto said the dog park area will be put in a wooded area near the well-known blue basketball courts. 

As for why the move was suggested, Gotto said the new spot "wasn't deemed to be environmentally sensitive," as opposed to the original location. The Preventorium Road facility also has other things the Easy Street location did not, or at least not at the same level. The larger park is more visible and therefore more easily accessed, and also has more parking for larger crowds.

The new location will not be all that is different about the most recent proposed version of the project. Gotto said the original plans, which at one time were thought to run as high as $100,000 to $300,000, have been pared back significantly. "The council reaffirmed we weren't going to spend taxpayer dollars," on the project Gotto said. 

Half of the cost for the program is being provided by the Monmouth County Parks system as part of a $50,000 matching grant. It is believed that the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee has raised around $5,000 at this point with the matching grant doubling that amount. Gotto said the new project may not have all the amenities of the original conceptual drawings, but it will still be a park for the dogs of the town to play in. 

Gotto said more formal plans will be put together for the new location ahead of the June deadline for the county grant. "I'm confident that they got what they asked for," he said of the advisory committee. They've got a direction and good people."

Another member of the council who has been involved in the program for a long time is fellow councilman Robert Nicastro. It was during his time as a member of the planning board that Nicastro first became familiar with the proposed park. Seeing where things stand now, Nicastro said the plan, which he described as "stalled," is once again going in the right direction. "This is a case where persistence pays off," he said.

With all the bad news and tough decisions that come before the council, Nicastro said it was good to be able to do something to help the residents. "We like to come together for the common good of the township," he said. 

The project is several years in the making, but Gotto said this was a good indication that the plans could become a reality. "I'd be surprised if it didn't get done," he said.

To find out how you can contribute and donate for the Easy Street Dog Park, call the Parks and Recreation Department at 732-938-4500 ext. 2501. Or see the form included in the article.