By DON STINE
Several Ocean Grove residents attending this week’s Neptune Township Committee meeting seeking permission to create a gated dog run area at a grassy area near the intersection of Pennsylvania and Inskip Avenues, behind a sewer maintenance building.
“People have no place to take their dogs and people complain about dog waste in the parks. Dog parks are a great place for the community to get together and socialize,” said Michael Goldfinger, who lives on Heck Avenue.
Goldfinger said he supports creating the park and that his group polled 319 Ocean Grove residents about the proposal. He said that 166 (or 52 percent) supported the park, 145 (or 45.5 percent) did not support creating the park, with the remaining eight having no opinion.
And while governing body members said they can appreciate the need for a dog run, they told the residents that they are barking up the wrong tree- the property in question is owned by the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, not the township.
Cindy Stiles, who owns the Ocean Grove Pet Boutique and supports creating the park, said her group will now move on and approach the Camp Meeting Association at its next meeting.
She said the park will be fenced in and only people and dogs authorized to enter the park will be allowed in by using special key fobs and with dogs having special licenses.
“It will be a private, members-only park and expenses will be covered through dues and other fund-raisers,” she said.
Stiles said the exact cost for the fencing, benches, and other amenities have not been determined since the group has not even obtained permission yet.
She said the group will ask fence companies to either donate the fencing or provide it at a reduced cost. The cost for benches will be offset by selling plaques to be placed on them and the dog waste bags will be provided by her pet store.
“We will also spray the area with pet-friendly flea and tick spray and members will be responsible for keeping the park clean,” she said.
Stiles said the pet owners would like the park to be big enough to accommodate larger and small dog runs in separate, fenced-off areas.
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