Suffolk County’s popular Gardiner Park in Bay Shore has a big new dog park. The dog park features large dog, small dog and an agility training area–a first for a Suffolk County park. The dog park is the result of the efforts of New York State Sen. Phil Boyle and NYS Sen. Monica Martinez. To get the details including information on how to thank NYS Senators Boyle and Martinez, go to Gardiner Dog Park Now Open!
Photo Credit: Jeanine Chang
Gardiner Dog Park Now Open!
Large New Dog Park Features Large Dog, Small Dog and Agility Training Areas
The dog park, which is the result of the efforts of New York State Senator Phil Boyle (R-Bay Shore) and NYS Senator Monica Martinez (D-Brentwood), covers 64,000 square feet or about one and a half acres. It features three sections: an 80′ x 300′ small dog area; a 120′ x 300′ large dog area and a 40′ x 100′ agility training area. The provision of an agility training area is a first for a Suffolk County dog park, noted Suffolk Parks Commissioner Phil Berdolt.
Each of the sections is completely enclosed by 4′ high, black vinyl-coated chain link fence and two watering stations have been installed. Plus, in an effort to provide shade during the summer and a more natural setting, many of the existing trees have been left in place, the Parks Commissioner noted.
The funds for the new dog park came from a $100,000 grant obtained by Sen. Boyle. “This is something I’ve thought about for a long time,” said the Senator whose family owns a toy Fox Terrier named Olivia. “It’s a beautiful park to begin with and I’ve gone to Gardiner often with my dog to walk her on-leash, but I always thought it would be a nice place for a dog run.” The west side of the Town of Islip has long needed an off-leash area, he added.
Senator Boyle worked with former Suffolk Legislator and now NYS Senator Monica Martinez on the project. Senator Martinez sponsored the resolution in the Suffolk County Legislature to accept the grant and authorize the dog park.
“We are thrilled that Suffolk County has built this beautiful new dog park for us and our dogs,” said LI-DOG President Ginny Munger Kahn. “We’re extremely grateful to NYS Sen. Phil Boyle for getting the funding for the project and to NYS Sen. Martinez for making it happen.”
As is the case for all Suffolk County parks, on-leash dog walking will continue to be allowed throughout Gardiner Park. Some dog owners had been told that on-leash dog walking was at risk as a result of the new dog park. However, in a statement to LI-DOG, Commissioner Berdolt noted: “This is our most utilized park for patrons and their pets. We will continue to keep this park an on-leash friendly park.”
“I can’t speak highly enough of the job Suffolk County has done building the dog park,” added Sen. Boyle. “This will be a very special place and I can’t tell you how happy I am it’s finally coming to fruition.”
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Please let Sen. Boyle and Sen. Martinez know how much you appreciate their work to get a beautiful new dog park created in Gardiner Park. Email Sen. Boyle at: pboyle@nysenate.gov or call 631-665-2311; Email Sen. Martinez at Martinez@nysenate.gov or call 631-360-3356.
Please also let Suffolk Parks Commissioner Phil Berdolt know what a great job the Parks Dept. has done building yet another, big, beautiful dog park in Suffolk County! Email Commissioner Berdolt at scparks@suffolkcountyny.gov or call 631-854-4985.
Help make sure Gardiner Park works for all park patrons by keeping your dogs leashed unless you are in the dog park itself. Also, as always, please remember to clean up after your dog.
Thank you for your support!
Sat., August 17th, 10 AM to 12 PM
Fire Road Trail, Massapequa Park , NY
How does a nice, easy walk along a shaded path in the woods with your dog on a summer morning sound? Want to meet other dog owners and their dogs? If this sounds good, then join us for our LI-DOG Pack Walk™ at Massapequa Preserve on Sat., Aug. 17th! For details, go to LI-DOG Pack Walk™ at Massapequa Preserve.
Photo Credit: Heath Meschkow
Sat., Aug. 17th, 10 AM to 12 PM
Fire Road Trail
1 Walker St., Massapequa Park , NY
Want to meet other dog owners and their dogs? If either of these sound good, then please join us for our LI-DOG Pack Walk™ at Massapequa Preserve on Sat., Aug. 17th at 10 o’clock in the morning!
On our Aug. 17th Pack Walk™ –a guided, group on-leash dog walk–we’ll be walking the Fire Road Trail, a flat, wide dirt trail within Massapequa Preserve. We’ll follow the trail for a bit over a mile and then turn onto a shorter trail towards a clearing with a creek and shallow pond where we’ll stop for water and photos. Some dog owners bring their dogs to swim in the creek and pond. Once we’ve rested, we’ll head back up the trail to where we started.
PLEASE NOTE: While there may be off-leash dogs on the trail, dogs must be kept on leash on the trail. Please don’t forget to bring poop bags as pick up is a must, and while the trail is shaded by trees, don’t forget to bring water for you and your pup.
Please NO RETRACTABLE LEASHES as we are walking in a group and the dogs and their humans can get tangled.
The Fire Road Trail within Massapequa Preserve opened to on-leash dogs in early 2015 in response to LI-DOG’s campaign to get more access to Nassau County parks. Please help us protect access to the preserve by keeping dogs on-leash and off the bike path.
Meet us on the dirt path near the north end of the Mansfield Park parking lot. Watch out for bikes as you cross the asphalt bike path to the dirt path!
RSVP
LI-DOG on Meetup
LI-DOG on Facebook
or email us at lidog_news@yahoo.com
We look forward to seeing you and your dogs on Sat., Aug. 17th for LI-DOG’s Pack Walk™ at Massapequa Preserve!
New York Dog Film FestivalMon., Aug. 26th, 7:30 p.m.
Cinema Arts Centre, Huntington, NY
Aug. 26th is officially International Dog Day! Come celebrate Man’s Best Friend with PRoud Rescuers of PR and the Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington for a one-time screening of the New York Dog Film Festival. The NY Dog Film Festival is an annual celebration of the love between dogs and their people through short films from around the world. For details, go to New York Dog Film Festival.
New York Dog Film FestivalMon., Aug. 26th, 7:30 p.m.
Cinema Arts Centre, Huntington, NY
(Google Maps)
Aug. 26th is officially International Dog Day! Come celebrate Man’s Best Friend with PRoud Rescuers of PR and the Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington for a one-time screening of the New York Dog Film Festival.
The NY Dog Film Festival is an annual celebration of the love between dogs and their people through short films from around the world designed to inspire, educate and entertain, which benefits local animal welfare groups.
These films are free of physical or verbal abuse toward people or animals. The only tears you might shed would be tears of joy. Two hours.
The film festival is being co-presented with PRoud Rescuers of PR.
For more information: go to The New York Dog Film Festival on Facebook or The New York Dog Film Festival on the Cinema Arts Centre website.
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