Dog Park In Progress At Essex County Hilltop Reservation

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Who’s about to let the dogs out? Essex County, that's who.

County officials recently announced that there are plans to develop an off-leash dog park at Essex County Hilltop Reservation, a nature preserve located on the Second Watchung Mountain in the host communities of Cedar Grove, North Caldwell and Verona.

The Hilltop dog park - which will open this summer - will be the fourth such park in the Essex County system, officials said. The Watsessing Dog Park in Bloomfield/East Orange opened in 2005. The South Mountain Dog Park in Maplewood/Millburn opened in 2006. The Brookdale Dog Park in Bloomfield/Montclair opened in 2007.

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said that the idea for a dog park at Hilltop Reservation was born in the autumn of 2017, when county officials met with their North Caldwell counterparts to hear their request for an off-leash dog facility in West Essex.

"This is an ideal location for a dog park because it is within walking distance of four municipalities,” North Caldwell Council President Cynthia Santomauro said.

According to county officials:

“The Hilltop Dog Park will be slightly less than 35,000 square feet in size and will be divided so there are separate areas for small and large dogs. The small dog area will be about one-quarter of an acre; the large dog area will be about one-half an acre. The entrance will have a decorative gate, brick paved pathway, information kiosk and new landscaping. Inside the park will be apparatus on which canines can play, benches for their pet parents to site, water fountains for owners and their dogs, garbage cans and receptacles for dog bags. The entire area will be fenced to prevent dogs from running away. Landscaping will be added to the area, trees will be pruned and dead trees removed. Access to the Hilltop Dog Park is via the North Caldwell municipal parking lot on Courter Lane off of Mountain Avenue.”

According to county officials:

“Remington and Vernick from Secaucus was awarded a $34,200 professional services contract to design the dog park. Zenith Construction from East Orange was awarded a publicly-bid contract for $724,320 to perform the construction. Funding is being provided through the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund.”

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