By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Both the four-legged and two-legged visitors to Sea Isle City’s proposed dog park would have plenty of shade to keep them cool during the, ahem, dog days of summer, according to the latest plans for the nearly $1 million project.
Among the dog-friendly amenities for the new park, there would be doggy obstacles, water fountains and double-gated entryways to provide a safe, fenced-in environment for all of the canines.
The park would be configured to have a section for small dogs and a separate area for larger dogs. It is proposed in the north end of Sea Isle at Seventh Street and Landis Avenue.
Sea Isle wants to begin construction on the project this coming spring, city engineer Andrew Previti said. The hope is to have it completed in time for the 2023 summer tourism season.
Previti said during a meeting Tuesday of the Cape May County Open Space Review Board that the dogs would be protected from the sun and heat by two shade pavilions measuring 16 feet-by-22 feet each.
One of the pavilions would be placed in the area for small dogs. The other one would be built in the section for big dogs.
While the focus will be on the dogs, the park would also have something for the humans, too. Visitors would find refuge from the sun and heat underneath a 24-foot-by-30-foot shade pavilion.
In addition, there would be two shade canopies measuring 10 feet-by-10 feet on either side of a crosswalk at Fifth Street.
Sea Isle is seeking a $996,000 grant from the Open Space Review Board to fund the dog park. The city would front-end the funding and then be reimbursed by the county if the grant is approved.
The Open Space Review Board, however, is undertaking a methodical review of the project before it will take a vote on the funding. Peter Lomax, the board’s chairman, said during Tuesday’s meeting that he did not know when a vote may be taken.
Lomax explained that the board’s review will include two phases. The first phase is a workshop review as the board moves toward finalizing the site plans for the project. The second phase will include a formal review leading up to a vote.
Lomax also noted that the board and Sea Isle are working collaboratively on the plans.
In an interview after the meeting, Previti indicated that Sea Isle may decide to start construction on the project before the board takes a vote on the funding.
“It was always supposed to be a reimbursement,” he said of how the city would be paid back for the project by the county if the Open Space Review Board funding is eventually approved.
Knowing that many families choose their vacation destination based on its pet-friendly reputation, Sea Isle has been looking to build its first dog park for years.
“We’ve received a great many comments from the public about the need for a dog park in Sea Isle,” city spokeswoman Katherine Custer said.
A communitywide survey conducted in 2015 included responses from local residents urging the city to create more recreation attractions, including a dog park. About 40 percent of the approximately 3,000 respondents to the survey supported a dog park.
Sea Isle Mayor Leonard Desiderio is a dog lover himself. He and his family have a shih tzu named Bruno. The mayor and his daughter, Carmela Desiderio, visited dog parks in Ocean City, Wildwood, Upper Township and Egg Harbor Township for some ideas on amenities that would make Sea Isle’s canines and their owners happy.
“The mayor and the administration believe it will be a fine asset for the city and Cape May County,” Custer said.
The project would be built in a secluded area away from residential neighborhoods, so homeowners will not be disturbed by barking or other noise.
Parking was another consideration why the city decided to build the dog park on Landis Avenue near Seventh Street. Two new parking lots were built in the same area in 2019 as part of a restriping plan to make the Landis Avenue corridor safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. Pet owners using the dog park will be able to use the same parking lots.
The project has been revised in recent months to eliminate plans for an observation tower next to the dog park. Other things have been added. Discussions continue on plans for a foot-rinse station, a bike repair area and charging stations for electric vehicles.
Sea Isle and county officials are also discussing how many handicap-accessible parking spaces should be included with the project and where they would be located.
Separately, the city is seeking a nearly $657,000 grant from the Open Space Review Board for a proposed dune crossover leading to the beach at Fifth Street.
The dune crossover would also include an observation platform for views of the ocean and bay. The observation platform would not be anywhere near as big or elaborate as the observation tower that was once proposed but eliminated.
The dog park, meanwhile, would give canines their exclusive domain for stretching their legs year-round.
During the quiet offseason months, the city lifts its ban of dogs on the beaches, giving canines and their owners a chance to get out and frolic on the wide-open shoreline.
But come summer, the vacationers take over the beaches and dogs lose their sandy playground. Without a place to call their own, dogs and their owners usually are out walking along the streets and sidewalks in the summer for exercise.
