More than 25 residents appeared at the Great Neck Park District’s board meeting Thursday to voice their opposition or support on whether the district should halt or continue its pilot program allowing leashed dogs in Allenwood Park.
Commissioner Robert Lincoln said there had been no incidents reported to make the board think the pilot program should be stopped, but the commissioners wanted to receive resident input after receiving petitions both in support and opposing the program.
“When you get everybody together, sometimes you can get some consensus and some direction,” Lincoln said.
The pilot program began in late January after residents requested the district allow them to walk their dogs in Allenwood Park, similar to what is permitted at the Village Green.
Lincoln said the district has not heard of any incidents at the Village Green or at Allenwood Park since the program began to make them think it was a bad idea to permit leashed dogs in parks.
But, he said, the district received a petition two weeks ago from a resident urging them to discontinue the program.
Kate Lustig, who submitted the petition opposing the pilot program, said she filed the petition after witnessing a dog, which was on a leash, aggressively barking at a young girl in Allenwood Park.
“It was not a nice scene and that was kind of what inspired me to ask what was going on and I found out about the pilot program,” Lustig said.
Resident Ruth Wallasoff said aside from her fear of dogs, she was afraid that once the pilot program became more accepted, residents would begin to break the rules regarding leaving their dog on a leash.
“Not everybody is law-abiding,” Wallasoff said. “And I think once the pilot program has started and has gone on for a while, some people will let their dog off the leash.”
Renee Iselin, a 30-year Great Neck resident, said she has had negative experiences with dogs off leashes and also feared that irresponsible dog owners would take advantage of the program.
“I feel it’s a quality of life,” Iselin said. “I don’t want to walk on the walkway and feel that somebody coming with a dog on a leash may not be as concerned as some of the people who are here are.”
Of the 19 people who spoke at the meeting, 16 were in support of the program continuing with only three opposing it.
Resident Erica Popkin said she supported the program’s continuation because it made her life better.
“Allowing me to walk in the park with my dog on a leash has improved my quality of life hugely,” Popkin said. “I have used the park more in the last several weeks than I have in the last ten years because, in fact, I can walk in the park with a dog.”
Resident David Torby said since the program’s inception, he has noticed more people going to Allenwood Park than usual.
“The park a lot of times is under-utilized,” Torby said. “I think it’s good that you get a lot of people into the park.”
Resident Ed Anderson said while walking his dog through the park, he noticed someone with their dog off a leash and took matters into his own hands.
“I expressed that you are causing a problem here to the people who live in this park, who have been given the opportunity to be respectful to a new rule that will allow us to enjoy the park with our dog,” Anderson said. “Don’t blow it for us.”
Ron Epstein, who said he was in support of finding a medium to accommodate both dog owners and those opposed to the program, said dog owners could help in enforcing the program’s rules.
“Ultimately, this is about finding a way for everybody in the system to enjoy the parks that are in Great Neck,” Epstein said.
Beth Schneider, who is director of the summer day camp program at Allenwood Park, said although she supported the program, she worries that it could cause problems with the 150 kids who attend the six-week camp over the summer.
“I think Allenwood and the idea of dogs is wonderful,” Schneider said. “I have great concerns with the hours when the kids are there in the summer if dogs were allowed there.”
She also said she would have no opposition if there was a provision prohibiting dogs, even on leashes, in Allenwood Park during the hours of the summer camp program.
Lincoln said the commissioners would not comment on what residents said during the meeting, but would take everything into account both sides when coming up with a decision whether to continue to halt the program.
He said the board would make a decision “no later” than its next business meeting on April 28.
