North Branford Park and Rec Commission Says Yes to Dog Park

came to the in October with the idea of developing a dog park in North Branford. The commission shared its concerns and Hodgson and other supporters, who created a Facebook page called North Branford Unleashed, have been working on the details ever since.

At the Jan. 23 meeting, Hodgson and about 30 supporters returned to the commission with a formal proposal.

After his Powerpoint presentation addressed ideas, concerns, fundraising and more, Hodgson asked the commission for a timeline on when the dog park would be voted on, saying he knows “these things take time.”

Hodgson and other attendees were more than pleasantly surprised when Frank Mentone moved to vote on the development of the dog park then and there. The commission unanimously voted to move ahead with the project with the contingency of the park’s placement on the Swajchuk property.

“Your timing is incredibly good,” said Brian Lynch. “Time is of the essence since the town has entered into an agreement with a design group for the Swajchuk property. All of our parks should be there for everybody to use and nothing makes me happier than seeing people enjoying our parks.”

The vote was followed by a large round of applause from those in attendance and many thanks from Hodgson.

Addressing Concerns

When Hodgson addressed the commission in October, there were three major concerns voiced by the commission: liability, upkeep and maintenance, and cost. The presentation addressed all three issues.

Hodgson’s research quoted Connecticut statute 435, which says dog owners are responsible and liable for their dog. He also proposed having clearly posted signs.

“The most important is a responsible dog owner who knows the temperament of his or her dog,” said Hodgson.

Because it will be a public park, general maintenance would be performed by the town, however, Hodgson stressed that dog owners would be responsible for picking up after their pets.

He also pointed out that if the dog park were part of a larger town-maintained property, it would cut down on maintenance costs as the rest of the property would be maintained anyway.

Hodgson estimated needing a startup budget of about $20,000, which would account for five-foot fencing with multiple double-gated entrances, benches, a bulletin board and a waste-collection system.

There are several fundraising ideas in the works including individual donations, the ability to donate specific elements to the park and a memory walk among others.

Proposed Plan

The proposal outlined the plan for the dog park being integrated into the development of the Swajchuk property on Route 22 near the police station.

“We want to be part of the initial plans for the development of that property,” said Hodgson. “It’s a central location for all residents, which will increase utilization.”

North Branford Unleashed is hoping for a park with up to two acres of space with at least an acre for larger dogs and a half-acre for smaller dogs all surrounded by five-foot fences. The proposal included plans for a shaded area, water, covered garbage cans, a bulletin board and a waste system.

Hodgson also went over potential rules from the park that his group gathered from other dog parks in the area, including that dogs must be at least six months old, spayed/neutered, vaccinated and have a dog license.

“We want to create a place where dog owners can come together and exercise their dogs in a safe place,” said Hodgson. “It’s for the benefit of all people in the town.”