The proposed location for the dog run (QueensPost)
Feb. 27, 2020 By Michael Dorgan
The Parks Department is revamping an unkempt corner of L/CPL Thomas P. Noonan Playground and has just released preliminary design plans that feature a dog run and new seating areas.
The south west section of the park– near the intersection of Greenpoint Avenue and 42nd Street– will undergo a $2.5 million makeover to improve the gritty area where the homeless often congregate.
The dog run will be split into a 1,500 square foot area for large dogs and a 770 square foot area for smaller canines. Both spaces will boast benches, dog waste receptacles and bottle fillers with doggie bowls. The dog run will be parallel to Greenpoint Avenue.
The area adjacent to the proposed dog run will be resurfaced with concrete hexagon pavers and there will be benches, a game table, plantings and a pedestrian pole with 1964 World’s Fair-themed lighting installed. At the entrance–by Greenpoint Avenue and 42nd Street– there will be a concrete seat wall.
The new dog run, however, is the main talking point and the result of a grass roots effort by a group of local dog owners—who formed the Friends of Noonan Park Dog Run.
Christine Coulombe, the group’s leader, said they approached Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer with the idea of a dog run because they felt that there is a lack of public dog facilities in the southern section of the neighborhood.
“We really have a lot of dogs in the neighborhood so I think this dog run is going to be very heavily used,” she said.
“It’s not only great for the dogs but also really creates community, a place where people who have dogs can come to meet each other, so we’re thrilled,” said Coulombe.
Coulombe said all of the amenities they requested have been approved, including a double entrance gate as well as a four-foot high steel fence that will keep dogs in and children out.
“There will also be three or four feet of greenery behind the fencing which will look really nice aesthetically but will also prevent kids from coming right up to the fence and putting their hands in,” she added.
The group, which has about 30 members, will be responsible for the upkeep of the dog run and will be provided with a storage shed to hold brooms and equipment.
“It’s going to be a real game changer for the neighborhood,” she said.
The project is currently in a design phase which will run until June and then a nine month procurement period will kick off. Pending a successful construction bid, work will begin in spring 2021 and be completed by spring 2022.
Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer secured funding for the project from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office in 2018 and the revamp will represent the final stage of the park’s three-phase overhaul.
In 2015, the playground was expanded and new climbing areas, swings, safety surfaces and shrubbery were fitted. A new sprinkler as well as a flagpole in recognition of Lance Corporal Thomas P. Noonan Jr., who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor after the Vietnam War, were also added.
In 2016, the basketball courts and handball courts were resurfaced with new asphalt.
Upon the completion of Phase 3, the entire park–with the exception of the bathrooms– will have been redone in recent years.
There is currently no funding in place for the bathrooms, the Parks Dept. said.
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22 Comments
Huang woo, you clearly know nothing about dog runs. The SUDS dog run has been open for almost 7 years, no outbreaks of any diseases and it’s clean as a whistle
Bravo! Great work by Chris and the crew with Friends of Noonan Park! Pay zero attention to all the naysaying keyboard warriors. They have done nothing to improve our neighborhood. SUDS heard the same nonsense, and now look at the Lodati Park, a great dog run, greenspace and a refurbished park for all to use. From 2001-2013 you rarely saw kids playing in the lower part of the park, after the redesign it’s full of kids playing. Just like Lodati, the redesign of Noonan will be a win-win for all on the South side of Queens Blvd.
Ticket the idiots that throw bags of bread on the ground for the pigeons.
I would never bring my dog to a dog run. Do you know how many diseased dogs are there? Half these people dont get their dogs shots.
The proximity to the playground is concerning me because of traveling germs. I envision a hot summer day, the water spray on, kids running through it while screaming with joy; however, they are unaware the day before it rained and brought unwanted water in their play area from the dog park. Besides, a tremendous amount of money was already spent on redesigning the park, so please use the allocated budget for something else. The Madison building is already subjected to other issues that are interfering with our quality of life, noises from people drinking, playing ball before and after the allowed hours, possible drug sales. I love dogs but not near a playground. I speak for many people in the building, thank you.
I wish someone would tell the couple that leave colorful bags of dog shit on the sidewalk at 41st street that the bags belong in the dam garbage!!!
Yay, less green spaces, more space for dogs. Love where this city is going.
Great job Jimmy securing funds for dog runs while store after store in our neighborhood is closing. Great job Jimmy. Glad to see you leaving!
I’m sure Christine is a wonderful person but I think all dog activities in Sunnyside should be consolidated under one person and that one person is Richard “Rick” Duro. Rick Duro – Sunnyside Dog Czar. Get used to it because it’s going to happen!
It’s going to be hard for the people who live in the Madison building, all the barking, smell in the summer heat no matter wow much you clean, not good…. money spent on greenery are wasted because the dogs like to do their business in the grass and kill the plants like they did with the ones planted around the park … I hope they will reconsider the location.
What about the parking spaces? This should never have been approved without consideration of the elderly (dogs and humans alike), the differently abled, the differently opinioned, and the drivers who need their cars to drive their dogs to the park and do not want to spend 17 minutes looking for parking because what dog can hold it, and another 17 minutes on the back end when we can’t hold it either and a quick bathroom stop leads to immediate double parking ticket. Where’s the sanity? What is happening to our city??
Tweeting? Are you mistaking JVB for Trump?
Wait a minute. Each dog run has it own chair person? Why does there have to be so many dog leaders? I think Rick can handle both jobs. Sorry Christine.
Was hoping for a workout zone to encourage physical activity for humans.
sad to see a few with the power have the ability to drive out the the elderly and immigrant population who enjoyed this park for years. I can only hope that the department of parks does the right thing and retain the seating and tables for this population.
No photo of Jimmy Van Jack Ass? Where is he? Must be out tweeting himself.
LOL, no coup. Christine is the chair of the group advocating for this specific dog run. Rick is the chair for the Lou Lodati Dog Run and point person for SUDS, Sunnyside United Dog Society. Rick and SUDS have provided tons of support to the Friends of Noonan Park Dog Run group. The Noonan Park Dog Run is mostly spearheaded by people who live in Celtic Park, which is massive and has tons of dogs, so a dog run will be so great in this area.
What a shame. The elderly will go where now to congregate, converse and play checkers, talk about the good ole times? The people who are in on this will one day grow old and see what happens to them. Kharma!!
I’m glad the park will be fixed up. The homeless need a nice place to congregate. They deserve it. They contribute so much to society.
What is a dog waste receptacle? Who is Christine ? I thought that Rick controlled all dog activities in Sunnyside. Was there a coup? I want to know! Rick, what’s the story?
Rick and the dog people and their dogs are dancing in the streets! Dogs, dogs, dogs.
we had bushes in this park but after complaining numerous times to Van Bramer about the drunk guys urinating behind them all night long they came and cut them down. Then, with no bushes, they just went between the cars in full view of the kids playing basketball.