A 1-acre, off-the-leash, fenced-in dog park at Harbor Island Park in Mamaroneck could open sometime this Spring. It would be adjacent to the Westchester County Sewage Treatment Plant on Boston Post Road.
The long delayed project got the go-ahead by the Village Board of Trustees January 9, ending years of discussion and delay including, most recently, a 3-month search by an ad hoc committee for an alternate site. Both supporters and detractors appeared before the Board prior to the 4-1 approval.
Critics of the Dog Park at Harbor Island have cited its proximity to seasonal organized youth soccer activity in the area and the competition for parking spaces.
Village Manager Jerry Barberio presented the development plan to the Harbor Coastal Zone Management Commission outlining the building of a 6-foot-high chain link fence (matching others at Harbor Island), a concrete pad and wash area for dog owners to rinse their pets’ paws, and a key fob attendance system that will match users of the park to their dogs’ village license. The park will have separate areas for small and large dogs.
The Harbor Coastal Zone Management Commission is expected to offer its non-binding advisory opinion at its regular meeting January 18th. The Board of Trustees is expected to approve funding at its meeting January 23rd.