Newark’s First-Ever Dog Park Opens At Branch Brook

NEWARK, NJ — A neighborhood group was the driving force behind Newark’s first-ever dog park, Essex County officials said.

On Thursday, officials gathered in Branch Brook Park to celebrate the opening of a new dog park, an overdue moment for New Jersey’s largest city.

It’s the fifth dog park in the Essex County system. Others are located at Watsessing Park (Bloomfield/East Orange), South Mountain Reservation (Maplewood/Millburn), Brookdale Park (Bloomfield/Montclair) and Hilltop Park (North Caldwell).

Essex County officials credited the Forest Hills Neighborhood Association with launching the campaign to bring a dog park to Newark.

“We are happy to work with the Forest Hills Neighborhood Association, which came to us with the idea for a dog park in Branch Brook,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said. “The development of the dog park transforms an underutilized section of the park into a vibrant location where community members and their canine pets can gather and socialize.”

Newark Councilmen Anibal Ramos and Luis Quintana said the community is excited about the new park.

“We are making history,” Ramos commented.

The 30,000-square-foot dog park is located along the roadway in the Northern Division of the park near the Parks Department Maintenance Facility. It’s accessible from the Heller Parkway entrance.

The park is divided into two sections: one for small dogs that is about 11,000 square feet and one for large dogs that is about 19,000 square feet. The area for larger dogs has 12 stations on which the dogs can run and climb, and the area for small dogs has nine stations.

Here’s what went into the effort, county officials said:

“Drainage at the site has been improved and water fountains for humans and canines have been installed. The entrance to the dog park consists of a double fence to prevent unleashed dogs from running way. A designated crosswalk was created at the entrance to enhance safety for dog owners and their pets who park and cross the street. Trees were pruned and dead trees were removed; trash receptacles, dog bag dispensers, dog washing stations and park benches were installed.”

County officials stated:

“Mott MacDonald from Iselin was awarded a professional contract for $42,700 to design the Branch Brook Dog Park. Picerno Giordano from Kenilworth was awarded a public bid for $589,159 to perform the construction work. The Department of Public Works monitored the project to ensure delays were avoided. The Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund Advisory Board awarded a grant to fund the project.”

Construction began in May and was completed in three months, officials said.

The first public event to be held at the Branch Brook Dog Park will be one of the county's “Strut Your Mutt Canine Costume Parades and Contests” on Saturday, Oct. 19.

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