WHY I’M SPEAKING UP:

My name is Olimpia, I'm a professional dog trainer and behavior specialist at The Supercanine, and I’m a Williamsburg resident. For years, I’ve been bringing my own dog, and dogs in my care to Bushwick Inlet Park at sunrise, and I recommend the same ritual to my clients. 

Those early morning hours aren’t just about exercise, they’re about building healthy routines, reducing stress, and creating calm, well-adjusted “dog citizens” before the city wakes up.

Sunrise hours at Bushwick Inlet have long been a cornerstone of responsible dog ownership in this neighborhood. Early access isn’t just a convenience for guardians, it’s a community benefit. Dogs who can run and release energy in the quiet morning hours are calmer, safer, and easier to manage throughout the day. And with a clear handoff after 7:30AM, the field is fully available for soccer players, children, and other users, creating a balance that works for everyone.

NOTE: In any social scenario, reducing the liberties of the entire community because a minority ignores the rules (picking up poop) or is straight up incompetent (can't recall their off leash dog) is unfair and counterproductive. This petition isn’t about excusing bad behavior, it’s about creating safe, structured hours so dogs and people can coexist without chaos.

Below you’ll find the main text of my petition, which explains why this matters and how we can push for change.
If you’d like to help me organize or get more involved, you can reach me directly at olimpia@thesupercanine.com 

WHY WE'RE DEMANDING ACTION:

Bushwick Inlet Park is one of the only safe, open spaces left in Williamsburg for dogs to run and play before the city wakes up. 

For years, the park opened at 6:00AM, and this created a natural balance: neighbors with dogs used the field in the early, quiet hours, and by 7:30AM the space was clear for soccer players and other organized groups. Everyone had their time, everyone had their space.

Now, NYC Parks has shifted the opening to 7:00AM. This change does not solve problems, it creates them. At 7AM, dozens of dogs and their guardians will flood into the field at the exact same time sports teams begin warming up. That’s not safer. That’s chaos. It increases the chance of dog fights, accidents, and unnecessary conflict between different groups of park users.

The truth is that Williamsburg is a dog-dense neighborhood.
About 50% of New York households own pets, and there are 600,000 dogs in NYC. Local reports show that North Brooklyn has three times the dog density of the city average, yet safe and clean dog spaces have not kept up.

The designated dog runs we do have are small, unsanitary, overcrowded, and a recipe for fights. For many residents, Bushwick Inlet Park (and McCarren) are the only real options for exercising dogs responsibly.

This isn’t about “pleasure time” with pets. It’s about:

• Public safety: preventing chaos when dogs and soccer players are forced onto the field at the same time. In a neighborhood with so many dogs, pushing everyone who once used the park between 6 and 7 into a single 7AM rush is both reckless and unrealistic.
• Fair access: Bushwick Inlet Park is paid for by all taxpayers, not just one group.
• Community need: North Brooklyn has three times the dog density of the city average, and dog guardians make up a significant share of this community. Their needs must be formally recognized in how park hours are set.

We demand NYC Parks and our local representatives:

1. Restore early park opening at 5:30AM.
2. Officially designate off-leash hours from 5:30–7:30AM.
3. Ensure a clear handoff at 7:30AM for permitted sports use.

This solution reflects what the community has been practicing for years, but formalizes it to reduce confusion, avoid conflict, and keep everyone safe.

Williamsburg’s dog guardians are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for recognition of reality: this community has one of the highest concentrations of dogs in NYC, but too few safe spaces to meet that need.

Early off-leash hours at Bushwick Inlet are not a luxury, they are essential for public safety, fairness, and neighborhood well-being.

✅ HOW YOU CAN HELP

The goal now is simple collect enough signatures to apply public and media pressure!

1. Sign & Share
Sign the petition and share it with neighbors, on social media, and in any local dog groups. 

2. Collect Signatures
A few hundred signatures will already be attention-getting.
500+ makes it strong enough to put in front of officials.

3.  Send Emails / Make Calls
Once we’ve hit a meaningful number, I will send it to this list of decision-makers, but in the meantime you can contact them directly. The more of us they hear from, the more they’ll listen.

Show up: After we'll collect a relevant number of signatures I’ll attend the next Community Board 1 Parks & Waterfront Committee meeting and bring the signatures. These meetings matter and often they sway Parks decisions. If anyone can come with me to show support, it would make a huge difference. I’ll keep everyone updated when the meeting date is posted.

• NYC Parks Commissioner – Susan M. Donoghue
  📞 (212) 360-1305
  📧 susan.donoghue@parks.nyc.gov
• Brooklyn Parks Borough Commissioner – Martin Maher
  📞 (718) 965-8917
  📧 bkspecialevents@parks.nyc.gov
• NYC Council Member, District 37 – Sandy Nurse
  📞 District Office: (718) 642-8664
  📞 Legislative Office: (212) 788-7284
  📧 District37@council.nyc.gov
• Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park (community advocacy group)
  📧 bushwickinletpark@gmail.com

4. Apply Public Media Pressure

Media: Reach out to Greenpointers, Brooklyn Paper, and Brooklyn Eagle. Local press loves covering neighbors fighting for fair park access.

Social: Keep tagging @NYCParks and @NYCCouncil on Instagram/Twitter to show this is a visible issue.

 
This is about public safety, fair access, and respect for our community. If we don’t organize now, we lose one of the only safe morning spaces we have. Please take two minutes to sign and share, and let’s show NYC Parks that Williamsburg dog guardians deserve to be heard.