Dispute in Bed-Stuy Renews Debate Over Dog Runs

BEDFORD-STUYVESANT - A sunny morning at Herbert Von King Park was clouded by a disgruntled resident screaming obscenities at dog owners last week. The dispute centered around off-leash dogs, which the angry neighbor blamed for a lack of grass and deteriorating conditions in the park. Ironically, the megaphoned woman also berated the dogs as a noise disturbance.

Video of the encounter, recorded on March 9 and recently posted to Instagram by the famed account WhatIsNewYork, has sparked a furious debate in the comments. One thing is clear from reading the responses: there is a lot of pent-up frustration about the impact of dogs on New York public parks.

The view of Herbert Von King Park from Candise Jones’ window. Image courtesy of Candise Jones.

When contacted by NYC Dog Runs, the woman in the video identified herself as Candise Jones and issued the following statement: “We should be able to share the park. They took over.”

Though I question her tactics, Jones has a valid argument. The people depicted in the video were using a section of the park that is not suited for off-leash dogs. Because Herbert Von King Park has a designated dog run, it does not offer off-leash hours in other areas of the park.

By skirting these rules, the dog owners who choose to let their pets roam free outside the dog run are impeding the human use of HVK.

This isn’t the first time Jones has voiced concern on this issue. On the Neighbored app, Jones, who has lived in Bed-Stuy for 20 years, lamented the “massive influx” of dogs and the worsening condition of the park:

“The ruined grass is now an eyesore and there is none for the rest of the neighbors to enjoy, and I feel that this is unacceptable,” Jones said in her post. “There is a designated dog park there for the dogs to do what dogs do. … It is not right or fair that you bring your dog to the area of the park beautified for human enjoyment, subsequently ruining that area.”

The video on social media paints the picture of a neighborhood bitterly divided over dogs (Jones scolds the owners and their “furry retarded-ass fucking dogs”). However, reality is a little less black and white.

Speaking with Jones, she admits her delivery was “slightly disrespectful and rude” and says she wants a positive outcome for everyone. Though dog owners were the main target of her tirade, Jones also blames the NYC Parks Department for allowing the off-leash dog issue to develop in the first place. Jones said dog owners “rightfully” refused to use the HVK Dog Run due to dilapidated conditions and recent reports of leptospirosis in nearby parks. She also faulted the Parks Department for failing to enforce off-leash regulations.

The HVK Dog Run was recently renovated following a public outcry about the condition of dog runs.

Jones and her neighbors were so distraught that they resorted to flooding the city with 311 calls. She believes the onslaught of complaints led to the recent renovation of the dog run, which reopened on March 12. The renovation included drainage installation and a fresh layer of mulch, as well as new fencing and the removal of hazardous objects like tree stumps.

The Herbert Von King Dog Run, plagued by regular flooding and dangerous, jagged fencing, is finally in good shape after years of neglect.

However, even Martin Maher, the NYC Parks Brooklyn Borough Commissioner, concedes that the repairs are interim measures. Maher visited HVK on Feb. 26 to meet with the community and discuss the repairs, which he estimated would last five years until a more permanent solution was realized via Capital Projects.

Also present at the meeting was Scarlett Clark, a local small business owner who is taking charge to organize volunteer efforts at the dog run. Even before Jones’ grievances were aired out on Instagram, Clark was espousing the need for better relations around the dog park:

“If dogs are in the dog run, and not off-leash in the park, it will create a better relationship with the non-dog owning community. It will keep the grass they are re-growing healthier,” Clark said via email. “So we need to respect the park rules as a whole and use the space we are allowed.”

Clark said the key was respect, something that some dog owners are not currently showing the larger community at HVK. According to Clark, adhering to off-leash rules is a critical first step: “We need to respect their space as much as we would like people to respect our dogs.”

Jones also believes a better dog run is a “benefit to everyone.” In addition to increased enforcement and better signage about off-leash dogs, she wants dog owners to have a usable space of their own in the park.

It would seem that Jones’ concerns and Clark’s goals for the dog run are closely aligned, despite what social media might indicate. The newly formed volunteer group will be responsible for upkeep at the dog run. (In his meeting, Maher reiterated the fact that the Parks Department does not maintain dog runs.) The renovations will provide some runway for Clark to get organized, but the community will need to step up.

A dog run is an important public amenity. There are hundreds of thousands of dogs in the city that have to exercise somewhere. Finding a solution that works for the entire community and having open dialogue on the issue will make a more enjoyable New York for all.

As they say, the grass is always greener when the dog stays on its side of the fence.

To learn more about volunteer efforts at the Herbert Von King Dog Run, follow @HVKDogRun on Instagram or contact them via email.