Manhattan Beach residents unhappy about activities at the Manhattan Beach dog run on Oriental Boulevard have more reason to growl at the recession this week – they’re going to have to put up with Fido for some time to come.
Charles Kahn, standing in for New York City Councilman Mike Nelson broke the news to the Manhattan Beach Neighborhood Association (MBNA) last week that because of budgetary cuts the relocation of the Manhattan Beach dog run is being put on the shelf for at least three or four years.
“The mayor has ordered city agencies to cut [capital] projects by 20 percent,” Kahn told neighbors gathered at P.S. 195 on Irwin Street last week for the first MBNA meeting of 2009.
Last year, Nelson allocated $125,000 from the city budget to relocate the Manhattan Beach dog run to another location in the park away from Oriental Boulevard after some residents complained about noise.
The new dog run – to be located somewhere near the tennis courts – was supposed to have separate areas to accommodate both large and small dogs.
Despite the cutbacks, Kahn says that the $300,000 rehabilitation of the Manhattan Beach basketball courts located in the eastern end of the park will still proceed on schedule.
Parks Department officials informed Nelson’s office last week that the latest design meeting to improve the basketball courts were held just last week. No time line for the project has been announced.
