“Brookdale Bark”
Montclair Times: November 7, 2007
More than an acre of Essex County Brookdale Park went to the dogs this past Monday, Nov. 5. Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. officially opened the 1.2-acre off-leash dog park, with a half-dozen pooches scuffling at his feet during Monday’s ceremony.
By the time the brief event was over shortly after 1 p.m., more than 50 dogs of various breeds – including a Portuguese water dog and a couple of old English sheepdogs – scurried across the stone dust surface and ran over exercise equipment.
Coupled with the completion of the park’s nearby tennis court complex, the $1.4 million project was finished in four months. DiVincenzo noted that the existing 11 tennis courts were rebuilt with new surfaces, fencing and lighting to “give school athletic teams, organized groups and recreational players an opportunity to compete on beautiful and inviting tennis courts that offer the most modern playing conditions.”
One side of the dog-park facility is a fenced-in 0.8-acre area for large dogs, and another 0.4-acre portion is sectioned off for small dogs. The tract is located in the western section of Brookdale Park. “This was an ideal location to create a dog park because pet owners were already using this area to allow their dogs to run free and exercise,” DiVincenzo stated in a release. Complete with water fountains and waste bags, the dog-park facility has safety enclosures to prevent unleashed dogs from escaping, and there are also dog-washing areas.
Dog Parks in and around Montclair NJ 07043
