Email us: Owen@OwenTales.com
UPDATE:
The Accessible Dog Park Coming to Bellevue South Park in Kipps Bay is NOT HAPPENING
The funding for the Dog Park in Bellevue South was allocated. Sadly, the money was moved and used for another purpose. You can email Rosie Mendez, our current council woman (until the upcoming election) for more information.
It is sad the Dog Park has been cancelled / postponed / rescheduled? The project news changes over time. Unfortunately, Owen's mom doesn't have the time or energy at this point to keep up with the cancellation? Delay?
The Community did a great job of supporting the project planning.
PS 116 kids voted on a name for the Dog Park.
Meetings were held with the Parks Department and community stakeholders.
The residents of the buildings surrounding the Dog Park gave their support.
The money was allocated and placed in the NYC budget, specifically for our accessible Dog Park.
A sign was made and hung up announcing the new Dog Park that would be accessible for all of our neighbors - those with disabilities and those without disabilities.
However, something happened and the money was used for another purpose.
There was a meeting in the Spring of 2017. Some representatives said it would happen, but it would take 3 - 7 years to begin the project. It is unclear to Owen's mom what the solid plan is for the accessible Dog Park in Bellevue South.
A Note from Owen's mom, Rebecca:
I'm very disappointed our accessible dog park did not happen as planned. Our neighborhood is a vibrant community with a diverse group of folks.
Owen & his mom will try to update this blog in the future (from July 2017 forward) but, it is confusing and has been difficult to get concrete information on what is happening with the dog park, so you may want to find another source of information (i.e. the new City Council Member) so you know what's going on, how you can help, dates of new meetings and the best guess the dog park will begin to be planned (AGAIN).
YOUR HELP IS STILL NEEDED IF THIS DOG PARK IS EVER TO HAPPEN!!
Call the new Council member, the Mayor, anyone you can think of - we still deserve a neighborhood dog park !
The prior planned spot for the Dog Park, in Bellevue South Park is:
ONE BLOCK AWAY from NYU Hospital & Bellevue Hospital. Patients and visitors to the hospitals have service dogs.
FOUR BLOCKS AWAY from the Veteran's Administration. (Lots more returning Vets have service dogs!)
Several residences for older neighbors or those with disabilities are a few blocks away from the planned spot. Many of these folks have service dogs.
Clearly, in addition to our neighbors, visitors to these places would benefit tremendously from NYC finally having an accessible dog park!
Owen and I meet lots of older neighbors who have told us they would love to have a dog as a pet, but they don't because there is no dog park in our neighborhood and the dog parks a long walk or cab/bus ride away aren't accessible to them. Older neighbors should be able to have a companion pet and a safe place to bring them to play just like other NYC neighborhoods. It makes me very sad to tell my neighbors the Dog park is cancelled or on hold.
Please keep in mind, this Dog Park was for OUR COMMUNITY. You and your dog are going without a neighborhood dog park just like Owen and me. It is a very sad occurrence.
IF YOU HAVE ANY UPDATES, PLEASE LET ME KNOW, AND I WILL BE THRILLED TO ADD THE NEW INFORMATION TO THIS WEBSITE.
Thanks very much for all your support, signatures and good wishes.
Rebecca & Owen (the Super Service Dog!)
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