Dog Fight!

There is a dog park by Watessing Park and no one has complained about it being loud.

The Watsessing dog park isn't near any residential properties. It's kind of tucked away in a little industrialized area next to the GSP.

I tend to think this is like the situation with Fitzgerald's pub and the complaints will continue regardless of the steps taken to appease the neighbors, because they just don't want it in their backyard, period. Most people don't like change. The locals liked their quiet street and living near a quiet corner of a public park. Now the public is making good use of that part of the park and the quiet neighborhood is not so quiet any more. I feel for them, but it's a public street and public park and no one ever promised them that it would remain calm and quiet forever. I can't help but feel that it's just too bad and they have to deal with the change, or find a new place to live.

Gee, is my distain for NIMBY types showing?

State Street,
You arent showing disdain for Nimbys, youre showing that you dont care about anyone but yourself. "It doesnt affect me, so screw them. Those idiots should have known that Joe D might build a dog park there. They shouldnt have bought their houses if they didnt want to hear dogs constantly barking and walking through their yards"
I dont see how the dog park being moved will kill anyone.
By the way, I have a dog, but have never used this dogpark and dont intend to, even if they install a kegerator.
Well, maybe then, I might consider it.

Complaining seems to be a favorite activity in our suburb.

oh man, if they install the kegerator I'm SO there, dog or no dog.

I agree Pete. the folks who reside along the border of the park are not entitled to resrict the use for others. Whether you live at the end of Ridgewood ave or a side street of Grove; those are not private entrances to Brookdale. Whats wrong with Dogs running around having fun if they are seperated from the rest of the park? Why not complain about families eating at the picnic table? nothing says noise polution like the sound of a childs laugh. Or maybe we should just close the whole park and put a cemetary in its place!

JP I think it's the entry fee people have to pay now that makes them feel so obliged. They must figure the money they paid for the house and the property taxes means they can have everything just so.

I live on a block where everyone owns a dog. Once one dog barks, all the other dogs start to bark. Guess what, we're used to it, they should get used to it too. Prissy complainers.

yeah jimmytown, I think Spock summed it up nicely when he said "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."

Maybe the people who are complaining about the dog park noise can swap houses with the people who are complaining about the train whistles (for the forthcoming weekend train service) on the weekends.

No one answered my question. How does it affect anyone if it is moved further into the park? The residents dont hear the dogs and the dog owners can drink from the kegerator.

I have friends that live adjacent to the park and it isn't just noise that has people complaining. It is the additional noise on top of people parking where ever they want, peeing in their yard and dumping trash in their yard. The dogs barking is just a straw on a camels back and the real hope is that the county does something about the overall issues.

How does it affect us? In the pocket Jimmy, in the pocket.

I dislike dogs, so I support keeping them (and their owners) out of my park. They are smelly, dirty, flea-ridden, feral aggressors (the dogs, too). Get a cat instead, and be done with it.

Where do I start. 229oz, before the fence was put up, the area was an unofficial dog park; nobody complained, and the dogs were off leash. If you move it, its going to be smaller (by plan) and that is the concern. HR, I live next to the train. People cut through my property all day and night. They throw coffee cups around (but not in) my garbage can and drop cigarette butts everywhere. I deal with it because I live near the train. I really dont think your friends have a littering problem, and they dont own the property closest to the street, and the town allows you to curb your dog. And finally, spaceck-
Cats instinctively hate people. They ruin carpets, cant save your life, and dont know any tricks. And there is no such thing as a "crazy dog lady"

And there is no such thing as a "crazy dog lady"

Those who know Miss Martta might disagree.

Regardless of how you feel about dogs, it's no fun to purchase a property and then neighboring property becomes something else.
I think that's more of the issue...and anyone who has ever had that happen to them can relate to this problem.
I imagine in this situation that the parking has increased quite a bit too, impacting the home owners...and... living next to a dog park does not hold the same value (real estate wise) as being next to a park.
Lost of issues here....just not dogs.

Bring back the 70's in Brookdale Park, those dogs will look good.

Yes, a woman can't be too rich, too thin or have too many dogs. :-)

"They are smelly, dirty, flea-ridden, feral aggressors."

I feel the same way about people who want to raise my taxes.

"Cats instinctively hate people. They ruin carpets, cant save your life, and dont know any tricks. And there is no such thing as a "crazy dog lady"

But cats owners, and not dog owners, are proved to live longer. Maybe some cranky poster will give up the cats and get a dog. Did I say that out loud?

I heard that study was flawed. They didn't really have a decent control group of dog owners. Dogs rule!

"Money may buy you a fine dog.
But only love can make it wag its tail."
Kinky Friedman

Impact is a noun....not a verb.

I didn't really take the study seriously, but my cats did. They immediately continued working on the living room carpet trying to lengthen my life, right before nap time. I suspect it had more to do with feeding them then some altruistic enlightenment. What's another carpet compared to having a fluff ball gently purring on your chest, claws only slightly extended on your neck, just in case you stop petting?

I don't see what the problem is for the dog owners. Just toss your dogs over the fence at 8pm, and come back to collect them at 8am.

$300k for a dog park? yikes!

Keenly observed, Duck.

Do you also get the sandpaper tongue on the cheek? I got one of those with my model at no additional cost!

Usually the nose crank, right before I take my life in my hands trying not to sneeze.

300K and they are talking of moving it! Anyone wonder why our taxes are so high? County taxes are going up to pay for our past misdeeds, wonder if this will fall under past deeds since its already in and screwed up, or will it fall under future misdeeds because they are going to move it. What do you think the total cost of this little project will end up being?
Since when was it necessary for the tax payers to fund a dog park? Kinda like the having to build turf fields because we need to have spring and fall soccer and laxs. When are we building the skate board park & wave pool? Just another self inflicted gun shot wound for the tax payer. What ever happened to just saying no!

"I have friends that live adjacent to the park and it isn't just noise that has people complaining. It is the additional noise on top of people parking where ever they want, peeing in their yard and dumping trash in their yard. The dogs barking is just a straw on a camels back and the real hope is that the county does something about the overall issues.

Posted by hrhppg | March 4, 2008 5:37 PM "

WOW people parking on the public street = a problem to be solved by the county.

Hasn't Brookdale been a park a looooong time? What do people who live near the tennis courts, soccer fields and track do? There's lots of noise coming from those areas and lots of "parking where ever they want".

Didn't the neighbors complain about the port-o-john that's near the dog park and want it removed because they don't like looking at it?

If people are exposing themelves and littering in on Montclair streets, shouldn't the police be called and not the county executive.

So, some guy pees on your lawn and litters and then goes into the park. AHA, you say, he MUST be going to the dog park. WE DON'T WANT THOSE KIND OF PEOPLE AROUND HERE, THOSE DOG-PARK PEOPLE.

Are women who go to the dog-park also peeing and littering their front lawns?

Inquiring minds want to know!

It's up to 42 signatures now Barista.

PS- there's no grass in the Brookdale dog-park and there is a small dog enclosure so large dogs and small ones don't have to mingle.

SUGGESTION- go take a real picture of the dog park- and maybe of how far it is from the houses. On the Watercooler someone said it was 20 feet from the "neighbors".

my comments:
BALDERDASH
IN THEIR DREAMS
WHAT A CROCK
BUNCH OF LIARS

BTW, ohpuhleeze, impact IS a verb.

Main Entry: 1im?pact
Pronunciation: \im-ˈpakt\
Function: verb
Etymology: Latin impactus, past participle of impingere to push against ? more at impinge
Date: 1601
transitive verb
1 a: to fix firmly by or as if by packing or wedging b: to press together
2 a: to have a direct effect or impact on : impinge on b: to strike forcefully; also : to cause to strike forcefully
intransitive verb
1: to have an impact ?often used with on
2: to impinge or make contact especially forcefully

Twinkle Toes - You are right. If some of these people knew what Brookdale was like in the 70's, they would see the dog park as a blessing.

You mean the long hairs play Frisbee with their dog running loose. The drag races on the straight away when you could endlessly circle the park (the one really hot chick with "if you can beat, you can eat it" bumper sticker who never lost). The total disregard for the "park police". The 14 or 15 Vettes that could always park in a continuous line after 2 or 3 turns around the park. The old guy selling the tennis balls on the side of the road, the ones he picked up from his backyard adjacent to the courts. That Brookdale park?

That's the one, Duck

And if these homeowners knew what Brookdale was like 50,000 years ago, when sabre-tooth tigers roamed the land & would rip out your throat if you ventured into your back yard at the wrong time, the dog park would look that much better.

Crank,

And that's not even mentioning the "Wooly Mammoth" - forget about the geese - turds.

"I really dont think your friends have a littering problem"

Oh then I guess the people who park blocking driveways and dump bottles and other trash and teh joggers that can't hold it until they get to a proper facility are figments of the imagination. I'll let my friends know.

"And there is no such thing as a "crazy dog lady" "

So you've never met my mother.

Gail, Y.A.Duck,

Don't forget the 'steroid boys', their gold chains and sports cars. You know, the ones that parked over by the Bellevue Ave. entrance to the park.

Behavior of the dogs does not seem to be any part of the complaints, rather the supposedly intelligent human animal. So why can't the dog owners just be more considerate and watch where they park, dispose of their trash, and keep their voices down? As an 'intelligent' animal, it's not too much to ask.

Everyone is getting worked up over $300k for the dog park? This is Essex County. We can do better than that!

Check out the price of the Anderson park shitter. (At the bottom of the page under CURRENT IMPROVEMENTS)

MellonBrush, that was the Vette Club (our name for them) and their groupies. Somehow that whole section of parked cars would clear and they would coast up in a line to park. Then they hung out leaning on there cars and watch the traffic go by, trying to look cool.

hrhppg, this site suffers from a corollary to the NIMBY equation. If it's not in their little environment they don't care, you?re just a cry baby.

"their" before the other bunch jumps on me.

""I really dont think your friends have a littering problem"

Oh then I guess the people who park blocking driveways and dump bottles and other trash and teh joggers that can't hold it until they get to a proper facility are figments of the imagination. I'll let my friends know.

"And there is no such thing as a "crazy dog lady" "

So you've never met my mother.

Posted by hrhppg | March 5, 2008 9:32 AM "

Now you're blaming what the joggers do on the dog-park people. How about that Toni woman who takes up 2 parking spaces when she parks on the street.

And how 'bout the fact that the "neighbors" asked that the port-o-john be removed from the park.

How will that help stop the errant pee-ers?

"How will that help stop the errant pee-ers?"

Are you referring to the human or canine kind?

No Hiding, my point originally is that my friends don't have an issue with the dog park per say, its how people who use the park in general have an attitude that they are all that matter. Thus dumping trash because walking to the trash can is too much effort, or the peeing because walking to the loo is too much to be bothered with. They feel that the county/town/whoever doesn't really care about the park overall never mind the residents.

If I lived near the park the lawn chair toting people going to the summer concerts where you can PARK ON THE GRASS would piss me off (no pun inteneded) more.

You can't use a field if it rains, but you can park on one?

Have there been video cameras installed that can prove that all peeing, littering and cars are the direct result of dog park users? I mean, couldn't they be the result of soccer moms or tennis players or my personal favorite, archers?

I knew it ackme. It's the archers!

At least hey (I assume) know how to aim. I haven't ssen any archers with dogs though.

I think it's people going to the rose garden!

You mean this wasn't about aiming balls and arrows at th....nevermind.

Aiming's only for the male... archers. Women don't have aim problems in ... open air situations.

hey = they ssen = seen

HEY BARISTA 70 signatures! Bet there will be 700 or so by next week.

"No Hiding, my point originally is that my friends don't have an issue with the dog park per say, its how people who use the park in general have an attitude that they are all that matter."

But that's not what the petition that you signed said and that's mot what that Suzanne person was saying on the Watercooler- she said that the "neighbors" controlled the street and that dog park people were not allowed to park on public streets.

LMAO, acme, and Captain Vegetable had a very good suggestion earlier.

If you bought a house near the train tracks, you knew what you were getting into. But if the situation changes, like allowing weekend service, don't complain if you can't sleep late, as you're not allowing others to complain about a new and different situation. The fact that it was an unofficial dog park before is besides the point. The problems are much worse than they were before.

For all of you attacking the homeowners, live near the park and see how loud it really is - then decide if you want to live with it, or have it impact your property value. Is it anyone else's problem that you decided to own a dog? Why should anyone care that you want your dog to have fun? Build a dog park in your own yard. How did we live without dog parks in the past??

becky-
Build a soccer field in your backyard. or better yet, build a soundproof wall in your backyard. How about a walking path... in your backyard. Here's the deal. Millburn has a 2 acre dog park in south mountain. Brookdale's is smaller than 2 acres; and yes it does matter that the area was an unofficial dog park before the fence went up. The only concern is that the area is now more popular than it was before. The fact that you live near a park is just that. If you live near a school, expect kids loitering. if you live near the airport or train, expect noise. if you are near a well used park, expect people and animals. its my park too, I just didnt choose to live right next door to it. I can see the train station from my kitchen. Its a convienence to me to, and sometimes its difficult, but i welcome all of montclair to use it

I know it's your park, but why is it also your dog's park? Does he pay taxes?

I don't bark or make noise while walking on a path - makes one wonder what it is you do on the path or the soccer field.

Don't assume I live near the park - I'm not within earshot of this mess, thank god.

becky dear,

Your kids don't pay taxes either, yet they are allowed to play soccer and make lots and lots of noise in the park and they don't bark either.

The popularity of the dog park shows what the need is. The streets that dead-end into the park are public property. The neighbors have tried to insist here and in other on-line venues that dog-park people are not allowed to park on "their" street. That's simply NOT true!

Hiding,

Kind of odd you're equating kids and dogs, but what makes it a weak argument is that the soccer fields and playgrounds are located in the center of the park, and no one is complaining about the noise. Soccer games occur on how many days of the year? Not really the same thing as demanding that a bunch of barking dogs get to run around at 6am.

As for the need, what the hell did everyone do before dog parks existed? Why can't dogs be walked on your own street at 6am, and use the dog park later in the day?

The fact is the dog park is in the wrong location - it should have been created closer to the interior road.

Oh, and it's kinda creepy you call a stranger 'dear' when you get frustrated.

Dear Becky,

the fact is, the dog park has always existed at that location, it just never had fences around it before. Yes, 40+ dogs on the weekend running around off leash in the same spot.

107 pro-dogpark petition signers so far!!!

"Kind of odd you're equating kids and dogs, but what makes it a weak argument is that the soccer fields are located in the center of the park, and no one is complaining about the noise."

Becky- you are wrong about where the soccer fields are - they abut a residential area- but since it's in BLOOMFIELD I guess you think it doesn't matter.

I suppose we could start up a petition to close down the soccer fields and get neighbors to start litigation as has been suggested by one of the Montclair "neighbors" of the dog park. I don't think we will because BLOOMFIELDERS have too much class and aren't as narcisstic as the Montclair "neighbors".

Actually, the soccer fields are all located within the inner ring portion of the park.

true- just a small roadway a little swale separate them from the residences in Bloomfiled.