11,000-Square-Foot Dog Park Proposed In Greenwich: Details

GREENWICH, CT — The western side of town could soon get a new dog park.

Greenwich Parks & Recreation Director Joe Siciliano went before the Board of Selectmen on Thursday with a request for referral to the Planning & Zoning Commission for consideration of Municipal Improvement status for a dog park in Byram Park.

The proposal calls for converting approximately 11,000 square feet of parkland at the former Rosenwald property at 1 Ritch Ave. into a fenced area where dogs could run off leash. The project is estimated to cost $30,000, which would be raised privately.

The estimated cost includes $10,000 for fencing and gates, $5,000 for a stone wall repair, $5,000 for a seasonal water connection, $3,200 for site restoration, $1,800 for a pet waste station, $1,000 for signage and a $4,000 contingency.

Eight existing spaces before the main entrance/gatehouse to Byram Park would serve as the primary parking, with one new ADA-compliant space installed at the dog park entrance.

Plans also call for pedestrian access via the sidewalk that runs along Ritch Avenue, a water station and pet waste station, signage and park rules.

"It's more of a walk-up type of park," Siciliano explained. "You're not going to park directly there, but you can walk from the gatehouse... It's a short two-minute walk from the gatehouse to the location. We realize that most likely a lot of neighbors in the area will have dogs who would use it."

Additional parking would be available inside Byram Park if needed, Siciliano noted, but residents would need a park pass to go past the gatehouse.

The proposed rules would limit visitors to two dogs per person and allow no more than 10 dogs in the park at one time.

Siciliano said the Parks Department crew at Byram Park would maintain the area and conduct waste station and trash pickup, mowing operations, and possibly turf upgrades every now and then.

Selectwoman Rachel Khanna asked how much annual maintenance would cost, but Siciliano said he couldn't give an estimate.

"It's not really a big uptick for expense," he said, noting crews are already mowing in the area.

"It's not going to be much," First Selectman Fred Camillo added. "This is a smaller one [than Grass Island]. This is not a big land mass."

Siciliano said he would have more information on potential maintenance costs at the next Board of Selectmen meeting.

Dog owners would be responsible for picking up their dog's waste, and a dispenser and bags will be available for use. In regards to resident concerns of runoff into the water at Byram Park, Siciliano said the chance of that is "pretty remote."

"We're estimated to be 1,500 feet from the actual water. [The park is] on the Ritch Avenue side," he said. "It's not going to be a factor in the water quality in Byram. Byram has its other issues with water quality."

Camillo said in his experience, owners tend to clean up after their dogs when others are around.

"Where we find when people don't do the right thing is when there's no one around, and when they're on trails," he said.

Camillo said the Byram Neighborhood Association was in favor of the park when it was first mentioned a couple of years ago, and he said most of the feedback from residents on the location has been positive.

"This one here I thought was perfect for it because it was already enclosed, and there are a lot of dog walkers and people have dogs in Byram. When I lived there, I remember walking my dogs a lot. I think it's a perfect one for the western side of town," he said.

A noted dog lover, Camillo played a role in bringing the town's first dog park to Grass Island more than 20 years ago. He said the plan back then was to also add a dog park on the western and eastern sides of town.

"Once we can get this done, we'll focus on the eastern side of town," he said. "I think this is great. "

The Board of Health approved allowing dogs off leash at the proposed location in February 2025, and the Board of Parks and Recreation reviewed the proposal without objection to the location.

The project requires Planning and Zoning review for Municipal Improvement status, a site plan and parking plan.

The selectmen are expected to revisit the referral request at an upcoming meeting.