Dog Park's Large Mud Hole Tackled By Town

PECONIC, NY — A large mud hole at the Southold Town dog park in Peconic could possibly soon be a memory.

At Tuesday's town board work session, town engineer Michael Collins and government liaison officer Denis Noncarrow discussed drainage at the town's recreation center; specifically, the dog park.

For more than a year, a source of concern has centered around an incline and a hole, filled with mud, at the dog park on Peconic Lane, residents have said. On rainy days, that section of the park fills with water to such an extent that some members of a Facebook page devoted to the dog park have started calling the tract "Dog Park Lake."

Dawn Camis Bennett, former president of the North Fork Animal Welfare League, has said the issue is problematic.

"The park is heavily utilized now with lots of dog owners and their dogs. The only upgrades that have been done, I believe, were paid for in full by private donor. It would be nice of a little attention was put into the dog park, as many local residents use this daily, especially some elderly people who cannot walk the dogs and enjoy the social and exercise.The hole could be filled with sand and mulch — it doesn't necessarily need to be grass."

She added, "This is the only place the dogs can run off leash safely and it should be better equipped. We are very thankful for the expansion of the dog park but would like to see it a little more attention to much needed upgrades."

Bennett also said the town had not addressed the issue.

In 2017, Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell, however, said neither Bennett nor any residents had reached out with concerns; the first he'd heard of the problem was through a request for comment from a reporter. Russell was out sick Tuesday, according to Councilman Bill Ruland, and was unable to attend the work session.

Collins said the town had "taken a look at the complaints about water at the dog park behind the rec center." He noted that the "wasn't an accident," the area was originally used as a drainage sump that routed water off Peconic Lane.

"We have a relatively simple solution that would work without spending a ton of money," Collins said.

Essentially, Collins said, there are two "bubblers" where water comes through an open grate into the dog park, one on the north side, that's not functioning, and one on the south that is functioning and spewing out water, which is then just sitting on compacted ground.

All of Peconic Lane from the railroad tracks, Collins said, has virtually no drainage. "That being said, it doesn't seem like the flooding is insurmountable," he added.

First, he said, the goal is to get out with a vacuum and clean the area, then determine where the drain is plugged.

The town, Collins said, is "piggybacking onto a drainage contract Southampton puts out every year" to commence with work at the dog park and also at the Ray Dean Parking lot in Mattituck.

A few leeching pools may be added before the water runs into the dog park, he said.

Patch courtesy photo.