UPDATE 6/9/2025-PLEASE SHOW UP!

From Christopher Marte;  
"The Lower East Side is going to the dogs … in a good way! We are pawsitively excited to announce funding for a new dog run on Henry & Rutgers. With $1 million from our budget and $700k from mark levine , this large shaded lot is going to turn into a puppy’s paradise. A dog run has been on our community’s wishlist for years, but thanks to the advocacy of @a.dog.called.carmen and her human @bianca.falco.nyc who started a petition, we were able to have the momentum we needed to secure the funding it deserves. The Parks Dept will be presenting their proposal at Community Board 3 next Thursday, June 12 at 6:30pm at 30 Delancey St and will want to hear from you! Attend in-person or virtually. Finally, the dogs can be let out!"

Thursday, June 12 at 6:30pm -- BRC Senior Services Center - 30 Delancey Street (btwn Chrystie & Forsyth Sts)
This is a Hybrid Meeting. Members of the public can attend in person and also attend by Zoom.
Online:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86416003792?pwd=myqGObsx9MCHUYVdqhhPBdfFrvaLwv.1
By Phone:  +1 646 931 3860, +1 929 205 6099 - Webinar ID:  864 1600 3792 - Passcode:  041168

From Bianca and Carmen:

More than a year I started this petition hoping to get a dog park in the LES in Manhattan…it’s happening!!!! Yay, thanks to  Christopher Marte to listen to the community and make it happen! Thanks to Mark Levine and NYC Parks 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 Please if you are local participate in the discussion on how to design the park. #LES #community #adoptdontshop❤️ #rescuedog #adogcalledcarmen #dogpark

My Story: in May 2023 I was a victim of a bad accident that caused Central chord syndrome. In the beginning, I was paralyzed with no sensation and no movement in my arms and legs. With time and a lot of work I’m able to actually hide my disability. I regained some functionality and from outside I look almost normal. Truth is I am still partially disabled. My left arm, left hand and feet have no sensation. I lose my balance often and I have a lot of pain in my left shoulder and the rest of the body. Having a dog park closer to home it’s a dream come through for somebody who has mobility issues especially because my dog is my treasure and she is my PTSD trained dog. She helps me through panic attacks. She deserves a nice dog park. ❤️😊 As well, disability brings loneliness and I do treasure my community, a dog park brings the community together and I have the chance to hang out with nice people and lovely doggies. That’s my story! I am very happy this is happening. ❤️🙏🏼🐾🐾🐾, signed Bianca Falco. #disability #impaired #centralchordsyndrome

 

Update 6/5/2025:
 
Hello! Last week I was summoned by Christofer Marte, he informed me that my petition was heard. Thanks to everyone who signed and to Marte’s staff.

NYC Parks gave C. Marte a location for the possible dog park and the funding is coming from both C. Marte office and the Manhattan Borough President’s Office. With their funds combined they will be able to fund the entire amount estimated to renovate an abandoned playground into a dog run! The location is Captain Jacob Joseph Playground, South of Seward park.

There will be a press conference tomorrow, Friday, June 6th at 10 AM at Captain Jacob Joseph Playground at Henry St &, Rutgers St, New York, NY 10002

Other community members and fellow dog lovers will be there in support. Please come by tomorrow with your puppies and  anyone who is in support of the park!

I hope the project becomes reality asap and I still wish for another dog run in Sara D. Roosevelt Park. 

 

UPDATE April 2025

Let's keep contacting Christopher Marte and Parks. 

I spoke to volunteers from other city dog runs, I have been told that there was always a fundraiser/donors involved in creating their Dog Parks.

I wish to organize a small independent committee to work on creating our  needed safe space for our dogs and community.of dog owners in the LES, Nolita, Noho, Chinatown. I have few locations in mind that if we had donors and volunteers we could inhabit and take care of.

Please contact me to be part of the committee, I will host the first meeting at the end of April.

info@biancafalco.com

Let's Do this! 

Bianca

 

Let’s join forces!!!

 

UPDATE 4/5/2024:

PLEASE email parks: Kuan, Angie (Parks)<Angie.Kuan@parks.nyc.gov>

PLEASE email: C. Marte's office: ckelmar@council.nyc.gov 

PLEASE email/call:

Susan Stetzer
District Manager
Community Board 3, Manhattan
212-533-6015

sstetzer@cb.nyc.gov

www.cb3manhattan.org

 

 

We need our voices to be heard, I am complaining with 311 for the lack of a safe and clean dog run in or close to te Sara D. Roosevelt Park. 

 

This is what I sent them lately:

"I am inquiring about the 10Million reconstruction planned for the park, I am representing a huge part of the community that the northern part of the Sara D, Roosevelt Park serves, we live close by (I am on Rivington in a HDFC across from the Rivington House) and in Nolita, Soho, Noho, Northern Lower East Side and the Essex market , Seward Park area.
WE REQUIRE TO INCLUDE A DOG RUN IN THE RENOVATION.
It is shame that above 10 street there are many dog runs, there are 5 at least. Those aren't easily accessible for our community dog owners who are elders, impaired (like me), disable or just working a very intense work schedule. We need a place close by and ASAP. We don’t ask state of the art dog run, just a fenced area, there are a lot of those and we can volunteer to make it dog safe. Parks isn't collaborating at all and all the 10 Million dollars go always to cover gentrification and not serving the community who has way less children and more dogs. We face daily challenges dealing with human fece, needles and drugs on the ground. Our dogs get sick and my dog is my service dog and there is not a safe place for her to play. This is insane. I know as a fact that the request for a dog run has being ongoing since the 1990's. The seniors ta the M’finda Kalunga Garden and at  Sara D. Roosevelt Park BRC Senior Center told me they tried since at least 40 years to get a dog run in this area and they want to create a committee to make this finally happen. What is wrong with NYC Parks Department that doesn't honour the resident's requests? There are more dogs that families with children, the playgrounds are empty!

https://www.nycgovparks.org/planning-and-building/capital-project-tracker/project/10358

I want to make sure that you are aware that I am impaired and other people are  elders or work 60 hours a week to be able to live in gentrified neighborhood. It is very hard for myself and the elders and for the ones working so hard to walk 20 minutes to 45 minutes to go to a dog run. Dogs are support animal, especially for people like me over 50, alone and impaired. The northern part of the Sara D. Rosewood park has areas that can become a dog run. Especially in between Houston and Delancey. We don’t need a state of the art, huge dog run, something like The union Square dog run would be good. Obviously, if there is a big and small dog area would be grand. All the green areas above and below  Delancey Are just used by drug addicts to sleep, poop, and do drugs. We could convert one of those or two in dog runs. Dog owners will keep the area clean and safe. There is no issue with noise for residents because Delancey is very noisy by itself due to traffic so dogs won’t bother. My ideal location is between the Houston playground and the bathrooms. It would be like in Washington Square, Park where the dog run is situated in the back of the public bathrooms and three steps away from the playground. That area has water too, so that would be ideal. Those sprinkles aren’t  used by anyone.
No children in sight. 
best regards
Bianca Falco
impaired and service dog owner"

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPDATE 2/16/2024: I contacted the office of Christopher Marte, our council member representative. We started a conversation and I am hopeful for a positive outcome. Please Sign and Share to show we are a strong community that needs a dog run!

They asked me three locations where a dog run is needed. 

This is my list:

 1. Sara D. Roosevelt Park

 2. First Street Park including the Art Park.

 3. Seward Park 

 

I am a resident of the vibrant Lower East Side (LES) community in Manhattan, New York. Every day, I see our community members walking their dogs along the streets and small patches of green space we have. The closest dog park is located in Tompkins Square Park, which is not within easy reach for many of us.

We are requesting the park to be in a great location: in or close to Sara D. Roosevelt Park. This location can be easily accessed.

Our neighborhood deserves its own dedicated dog and community park - a safe, clean space where our four-legged friends can run freely while we connect with fellow residents. Currently, there are over 68 million dogs owned across the United States (American Pet Products Association), highlighting the need for more dedicated spaces to cater to these beloved family members.

Moreover, studies show that having access to green spaces improves mental health (National Recreation and Park Association). With New York City being one of the most densely populated cities in America, it's crucial that we prioritize creating such spaces for our residents.

By establishing this park in LES, we would be promoting not only physical activity but also fostering stronger community ties among residents. This initiative will greatly enhance our quality of life by providing an accessible place for recreation right at our doorstep.

We urge local government officials to recognize this need and take action towards creating a safe and clean dog and community park in LES. Please sign this petition if you believe in improving our neighborhood's amenities while promoting health benefits for both humans and pets alike.