While Astoria in Queens has one of the highest populations for dogs in the city, owners really didn’t have any options when it came to dog parks. That is about to change, but it won’t be cheap.
It was recently announced a new dog park would be going in between 23rd and 24th Streets under the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge (currently a basketball court is there). The price tag: $1 million.
This was quite a sticker shock for residents, as the original estimate had the new dog amenity was $500,000.
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The dog park falls under capital projects — the same bucket as playgrounds and subway lines — and tend to cost more money. The city must go through a tedious process of designing, bidding and contracting these projects. Unions, the complexity of building in a crowded city and the fact New Yorkers live on a bunch of islands can also drive up costs, experts told The New York Times.
Still, the cost is higher than other recent dog runs. The outlet reports that the DiMattina Dog Run in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn cost $450,000, the J. Hood Wright Park in Washington Heights, Manhattan was a $800,000 project and the 1.2-acre park in Essex County, N.J. came in at $300,000.
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What may be included in this costly project? While the exact design is yet to be determined, park officials told the Times that the park could be equipped with a special surface that is soft on dog’s paws and helps with drainage; pipes for drinking fountains; putting in landscaping and
“Public space is expensive, and it gets a lot of wear and tear in New York City,” Martha Lopez-Gilpin, chairwoman of the Astoria Park Alliance, told the outlet. “It’s important for the public to know what public amenities cost.”
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Image via Flickr/zensmom1