By —Gary Buiso
In a few months time, four-legged inhabitants of Gerritsen Beach may have reason to rejoice, when a new dog run could be constructed in the neighborhood. The dog run, planned for Burnett Street and Avenue X, has received support from about 120 local residents, who recently sent a petition to state Senator Martin Golden, along with Community Board 18, requesting support for the project. CB 18 district manager Dorothy Turano said last week that the board is supportive of the dog run, and sent a letter to State Senator Martin Golden, who is also in favor of the project. John Quaglione, Golden’s spokesperson, said the next step is to let the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation know that the community is supportive. “It’s long overdue,” Quaglione said of the project. Dog owners are currently forced to travel to 7th Avenue and 86th Street if they want to visit the nearest dog run, Quaglione said. Letters of support have already been forwarded to the agency, he continued. If all goes well, Quaglione said, the dog run could be up and running in the spring. Parks is expected to be responsible for the maintenance of the dog run, which is essentially an open area to allow dogs to frolic. He said the project took hold when Golden’s office received a petition from local dog owners. As of now, the project is being called the Gerritsen Beach/Marine Park dog run, Quaglione added. Greg Borruso, the president of the Marine Park Civic Association, said his organization was opposed to having a dog run placed in an area of the park which houses athletic fields. The present site, he said, is fine. “If they want to put one in Gerritsen Beach, we have no problem with it,” Borruso said.
