Kings County animal lovers gathered at the Prospect Park Parade Grounds on Monday to celebrate the long delayed ground breaking of the Kensington Dog Run — a new park dedicated solely to man’s best friend.
“As a dog parent myself, I look forward to having this great new space where dogs and neighbors can come to exercise and mingle,” said Sue Donoghue, president of Prospect Park Alliance. “Prospect Park Alliance is excited to create this new amenity for the benefit of our four-legged friends and our community.”
The 7,000-square-foot, fenced-in play space will provide local dog owners a spot to let Fido off leash, and boasts separate areas for large and small dogs, along with an innovate new synthetic grass designed to be softer on tender paws, according to the Alliance.
“Sometimes, it’s Parks’ business to make sure dogs can do their business,” said Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Martin Maher. “This project is an example of great design and project management by the Prospect Park Alliance, and will be a fantastic asset to the community.”
The dog run — which is set to open at the Parade Ground near Coney Island Avenue and Kermit Place next June — had been years in the making and suffered months-long delays.
Resident dog lovers formed the Kensington Dog Run Association to advocate for construction of a new dog run in 2015, after Parks Department officials refused to sanction an ad-hoc dog run at nearby Greenwood Playground, citing unfavorable conditions including inadequate drainage and exposed roots.
The Parade Ground project suffered setbacks in November 2018, when the city’s chosen contractor suddenly dropped out of the project, stalling construction by more than half a year as the Parks Department scrambled to find another builder.
Now that the shovel has finally hit the dirt, the project is expected to be completed in one year, according to the Alliance, which claims the dog run will cost taxpayers $405,000.
That’s more than the $370,000 price tag the Parks Department gave online, but less than the $640,000 the agency claimed the park would cost in 2017.
Reps for the Parks Department and the Alliance did not immediately respond to address the pricing discrepancy.
