We’re often sent tips about the state of our local parks (specifically, the presence of off-leash dogs). And frankly, as people who live and work in Greenpoint, we can see with our own two eyes when a park or other green space isn’t getting the love it deserves.
Take this weekend, for example. The volunteer group Friends of Cooper Park shared a series of images on Instagram depicting the Williamsburg park overflowing with garbage.
“We’ve been trying to get @nycparks to provide more frequent garbage pick up but we need your help,” the group wrote in a post. “We need more people to log 311 complaints online or by texting 311692.”
Certainly, the Adams’ administration’s proposed budget cuts to the Parks Department don’t help. But there’s also a human behavioral element at work here. If you see that a trash can has no more room for trash, then hold on to your damn coffee cup until you find an available receptacle.
While we’re at it, your friendly reminder that Transmitter Park does not have off-leash dog hours. McCarren Park and McGolrick Park have dedicated sections for dog parks—that does not include the lawn of either park.
If you’re inspired to roll up your sleeves and help beautify our local parks, there’s no shortage of opportunities. Friends of Cooper Park have Weekend Weeders hours every Saturday at 9 a.m. McCarren Dog Run Alliance regularly hosts events, as do Friends of Transmitter Park and Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park. NBK Parks Alliance also has volunteer opportunities.
Unpopular opinion: Dog owners should be taxed or charged a fee in NYC to pay for their dogs pee/poop cleanup and destruction of public spaces, quality of life, etc.
It’s going the other way where taxpayers will foot the cost for free poop bags to privileged dog owners
Face facts
It’s the class of people that just don’t care anymore
Different parks in different neighborhoods reflect who’s living there
Add that to a consultant heavy burocracy & nothing gets done
Thank you for addressing this issue, and while you’re/we’re at it: how about including all the dog poop & pee in our tree pits. This is killing the soil, and eventually will compromise if not kill the trees. SO many tree pits have signs asking dog owners to be considerate, and most are ignored … if not destroyed!
Yes. Unfortunately McCarren Park is a dog toilet now. I see dozens of people letting their dogs pee there every morning. Can’t believe people would sit in the grass.
The big issue here is a lack of park infrastructure in this neighborhood.. where is Bushwick inlet park and where is Box Street Park, why isn’t the waterfront of Greenpoint notconnected to Williamsburg already?!?! Why are these projects in limbo?
The council person who is head of parks – Shekar Krishnan- just got $88.8 million dollars to change a street in his own backyard to a green space that many residents DO NOT WANT. Wonder where the money came from? So are the people who don’t want the street changed to a lawn lane and creating havoc in jackson heights.
I go to McGolrick Park and have noticed lots of dogs off leash and poop and pee in the grassy picnic areas . There should be bold signs, not suggestions to have your dog do there business in the run or a designated area like that space next to the dog run, on that south end and one on the north end, where nobody lays on blankets.
SIGN TO READ:
THIS IS A DESIGNATED DOG TOILET! PLEASE PICK UP AFTER THEY POOP AND PUT IN RECEPTICLES! DOGS ARE NOT TO BE UNLEASHED IN GRASSY LEISURE AREAS! PLEASE USE COMPOSTABLE DOG BAGS!