New Dog Run Opens In Prospect Park Parade Ground

PROSPECT PARK, BROOKLYN — As dog runs across the five boroughs reopened for the first time since April on Monday, one park for pups in Prospect Park was up and running for the first time.

The Kensington Dog Run, a brand new dog run in the Prospect Park Parade Ground, opened Monday in its spot near Coney Island Avenue and Kermit Place.

The opening comes just about a year after officials started constructing the new dog run, which was funded through City Council and the Brooklyn Borough President.

The $405,000 project was originally slated to open in June 2020. All dog runs in New York City, though, were closed in April to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

“In under a year, we have transformed this space into a state-of-the-art amenity for dogs and their owners to enjoy," Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue said. "This is exactly what our community needs right now, and with dog runs reopening citywide, the timing couldn’t be better.”

Advocates with the Kensington Dog Run Association and Brooklyn FIDO had been lobbying for the new Prospect Park dog park for at least three years. It was designed and managed by the Prospect Park Alliance.

The run includes 7,000 square feet of fenced-in space and is the first in New York City parks' dog runs to include a canine-friendly turf, the Alliance said. It also features benches made of reclaimed wood from downed park trees, waste receptacles, dog-waste-resistant shrubs and water fountains.

Dog runs and other recreational activities in the city's parks — including basketball, tennis, volleyball and handball — reopened as New York City entered Phase 3 of reopening its economy on Monday.

Phase 3 also included a new round of business openings, including personal care services such as spas, tattoo parlors, piercing parlors, massage therapy practices, cosmetology salons, nail salons, tanning salons and waxing salons.

Check out photos of the Kensington Dog Run, courtesy of the Prospect Park Alliance: