Canines might finally have a place of their own in Moorestown as the township is going out for a grant to build a dog park.
Moorestown Township Council on Sept. 21 was given a presentation by Steven F. Lennon, senior landscape architect with Taylor Design Group, on conceptual plans for a dog park at Swedes Run Fields. A resolution was on the agenda that night authorizing an application for grant funds of up to $250,000 from the Burlington County Municipal Park Development Program for the dog park. After the presentation, council unanimously approved the resolution.
Moorestown has been talking about a dog park for awhile and decided to apply for a grant with the Burlington County Municipal Park Development Program to create one. Moorestown Parks and Recreation Director Theresa Miller worked with Taylor Design Group to come up with a conceptual plan to present to council and the county.
Lennon came to council the night of the approval for the application so it could see what was being proposed and designed for the future dog park.
“This was just to give council an understanding of what is going to happen and put our best face on the grant,” Lennon said.
The plans call for the Swedes Run Fields at Westfield Road near the old abandoned barn to be split into two fenced-in dog areas — one for small dogs, 35 pounds and under, that is one acre and the other for large dogs that is an acre and a half. The fence would be a pressure-treated wooden three-rail fence, like horse board fencing, with metal wire mesh to stop the dogs from getting out. The fence was estimated to be about four feet in height.
Inside the fenced-in dog areas would be a pavilion with picnic tables underneath to provide shade.
The pavilion would be shared between both dog areas, with a fence between them. There will also be trees planted to provide additional shade.
Other plans include the addition of trash/recycling and pet waste receptacles; a drinking fountain for dogs and humans; formalizing the existing parking lot with asphalt aprons, a stone/compacted gravel parking lot and concrete surface for handicap parking; bike racks; a pedestrian connection tying into existing gravel paths; and concrete paths from the parking area to the dog areas.
Signs will be put in place to give information about the dog park, the history of the site and the history of the stone barn. A new Swedes Run sign will also be put in place.
Township Manager Scott Carew said a wooden fence over a chain link fence worked better aesthetically, wanting to keep the feel of Swedes Run as an agricultural site.
However, he felt four-feet-high fences wouldn’t cut it for larger dogs. Lennon said adding a rail is a possibility and would make it taller.
Councilman Manny Delgado expressed interest in adding to the grant application the addition of paths. He said the idea had been brought up before and asked if it could be added to the application.
Lennon said that was possible, and adding paths might make the application more appealing to the county to be approved.
“Adding the trails might make the grant application more attractive if the county is inclined to do trail improvements. That might be worthy and help with approval of the application,” Lennon said.
In other news:
• Council unanimously approved an ordinance on first reading to replace the township’s chapter 11 “Drug-Free School Zones” with “Drug-Free Zones” and adopting a new map. The drug-free zones previously applied only to schools. The replacement chapter would include public housing facilities, public parks and public buildings. The public hearing and final vote is scheduled for the Oct. 5 Township Council meeting.
• Council unanimously approved an ordinance on second reading for preliminary engineering and design expenses for the reconstruction of the hockey rink at Wesley Bishop Park. The ordinance called for the township to appropriate $100,000 and authorize the issuance of $95,000 in bonds or notes.
The hockey rink is in need of an update because the terrain under the rink has some issues, and the township must take out the entire rink to rebuild it.
• Moorestown Theater Company’s Producing Artistic Director Mark Morgan spoke to council about the possibility of using the old library location as a performing arts center.
Morgan said MTC would raise the funds for the building and have it be a township building on township land, with MTC renting it.
MTC proposed having its performance dates chosen first, about 16 to 20 weekends per year, and the rest open to other performances from other organizations, individuals and the township itself.
He suggested if this was a possibility to create a committee to work on the project. Members of the public were in support of a performing arts center, but felt it should be open to all kinds of visual performing arts and not have MTC have control of the building. No decision was made, but council members expressed their thanks.
