A trip to the dog park could be one of the highlights of your pup’s day, or it could be the most stressful. How your dog behaves at the park matters, but a lot also depends on the park itself. Neglected parks are more frightening than fun, which is why Brooklyn’s Maria Hernandez Park took steps to improve their dog park and make it a place where pet parents can relax while their pooches play.
The History of Maria Hernandez Park
Maria Hernandez Park in Brooklyn is the largest community park in the Bushwick neighborhood. The city first purchased the land back in the 1890s from various landowners, including the legendary P.T. Barnum.
Originally, the area was known as Bushwick Park until it was named after activist Maria Hernandez in 1989. Maria and her husband Carlos fought against the rampant drug scene in the area, working hard to remove dealers from their neighborhood.
The pair organized block parties and other events to unite residents and improve the community. In August of 1989, Maria was killed by drug dealers in retaliation for her anti-drug efforts.
The community responded by naming the park in her honor to represent her commitment to the community and to have a safe place for residents to come together. Unfortunately, in the 1990s, the park began to fall into disrepair.
However, in 1994, park workers began an extensive repair campaign, initiating a five-day clean-up. Workers removed broken glass, graffiti, and debris; repaired fencing and benches; pruned trees; planted new ones; and cleaned the sewer line.
In 2007, projects focused on rebuilding the playground and basketball courts, adding exercise equipment and a plaza complete with a performance stage. Many other improvements followed, including ones that catered to residents’ fur babies.
Dog Park Revamp at Maria Hernandez Park
The park decided to add some dog runs in 2012, which basically consisted of two fenced-in areas. Over the years, the gravel and dirt surfaces deteriorated, and heavy rain would turn the dog runs into small lakes.
Part of the problem was that the dog runs didn’t receive regular city funding for maintenance and repairs. Consequently, the people actually using the space had to take responsibility for many of its basic needs in order to keep the area safe for their pups.
Instead of making a bunch of complaints to the city, pup parents took matters into their own hands. Local dog owner Amy Willard began organizing cleanup days with volunteers after discovering the Parks Department didn’t handle regular dog park upkeep.
Eventually, in 2018, Amy founded Maria Hernandez Dog Run P.A.C.K. (Pet Owners Alliance for Community K-9s), which is an all-volunteer organization devoted to making the dog park a safe, fun place for everyone to enjoy. The group focused on organized cleanups that removed trash and weeds, leveled gravel, filled holes, and cleared paths. They also raised money through various fundraising efforts to cover repair costs and supplies.
Wanting More for Their Community Dog Park
The group’s efforts were admirable and made a difference, but they knew it could be better. Volunteer effort turned into political action with members attending local community board meetings and advocating for larger improvements. They also participated in a New York City budgeting process that invites residents to vote on how some public funds should be spent in their neighborhoods.
The dog-run project gained $300,000 in 2022. However, eventually city officials and community members added a major playground upgrade to the dog-run renovation. All in all, after securing additional funding, the total project cost reached a whopping $6.78 million!
A Brand-New Barktastic Dog Park in Brooklyn
The new dog run is dramatically different from the old one. Instead of the problematic dirt and gravel and flooding holes, the renovated space features dog-friendly turf and improved drainage. There are expanded areas for large and small dogs, drinking fountains with dog bowls, better lighting and fencing, and doggy waste stations.
There’s also additional seating and shade trees, plus pergolas that offer shady spots for pet parents to escape the sun as their pups play. These changes address many of the problems residents had identified through years of actually using the space. But the most important thing to keep in mind is that even after a massive renovation, the work isn’t done.
The park needs continual maintenance and upkeep, which means there’s always a need for volunteers. Plus, there’s more to it than just the park itself.
Beyond the Dog Park
P.A.C.K.’s mission isn’t just about cleaning up the dog park. The organization is all about ensuring dogs are safe and happy no matter where they are. Therefore, the group sponsors pet health fairs, promotes responsible pet ownership, and distributes supplies. Check out the P.A.C.K.’s socials to see what they’re up to.
How to Make a Difference in Your Local Dog Park
Perhaps the biggest lesson from Maria Hernandez Park’s transformation is that the first step to making something happen in your community doesn’t have to be getting the government to fix it. For the residents in Bushwick, it was about the community caring about the space and taking action.
Volunteers identified specific problems, gathered people who shared those concerns, and got to work. This should be inspiring to anyone who wants to make a change in their own community dog park. Just remember, to make big changes, you don’t have to do it all in one single act. Instead, consider it an ongoing process.
And with a lot of community support behind the project, your city officials might just be willing to jump in and help or expand it. To start your dog park renovation plan, focus on the following five broad steps.
1. Document the Issues
You can’t fix something if you don’t know why it’s broken. Before you start demanding change, organize a group, or gather funds, you need to visit the dog park. Visit at different times and document what’s not working.
Is it unsafe? Is there poor drainage? Is the fence busted? Do you suspect that some of the plants are toxic to dogs? Does there need to be more lighting, seating, or shade? Is it overgrown or full of trash? Talk to the people who use the park to get realistic feedback on what the space actually needs.
2. Find People Who Share Your Goals
After you compile a thorough list of needs and wants for your local dog park, look for people who share your desire to improve the space. Talk to dog owners, parents, neighbors, local businesses, schools, and other organizations.
Create a group of like-minded individuals that share a clear goal. The Maria Hernandez Dog Run P.A.C.K. shows that volunteers don’t need to begin as a large nonprofit organization. You can start with just a few folks who are willing to show up and do the work.
3. Seek Out Funding
Once you have your group of dedicated dog-park advocates, it’s time to raise some money. You can put together local fundraising events, solicit donations, approach other neighborhood organizations, and build partnerships with nonprofits.
Other options are grants, participatory budgeting meetings in your town, and city discretionary funds. The key is to have a specific project and a clear explanation of why it matters.
4. Involve City Government
Now, after all of the above efforts, it’s time to get the local government involved. Attend city council or community board meetings, and contact your council member.
Learn which department controls the property and who actually has authority over maintenance, capital improvements, or funding. Bring evidence, photos, petitions, surveys, and a group of residents who support the proposal. Now is the time to try and turn your small project into the one you’ve been dreaming about.
5. Stay Persistent and Patient
Don’t expect your project to flip a 180 overnight. However, with persistence, consistent changes over time are definitely possible. Maria Hernandez Park is a great example of this.
It’s Your Dog Park, So Don’t Wait on Someone Else to Fix It
The most important takeaway from the amazing story of Bushwick’s dog park is you don’t have to wait for someone else to care about your neighborhood. You can be the person who sparks change.
And it doesn’t just have to be a typical dog park. Perhaps your town has an indoor dog park that you want to help develop, or maybe you want to start a volunteer-centered doggy daycare. No matter what you want to improve, focus on identifying the problem, then find people who want to make a difference like you.
Community improvement, whether for people or pups, begins when residents stop seeing a neglected space as someone else's problem. Instead, start treating it as something you have the power (and responsibility) to change.
Look for more pet tips, tricks, and tidbits in the Neater Pets blog!