Doggy dress up in Calverton as Stotzky dog park plans take shape
Move the Animal Shelter’s latest event, called “Strut Your Pup,” was held Saturday afternoon at the town’s Isaac Dog Park in Calverton to raise funds to build a second dog park at Stotzky Park in Riverhead.
About two dozen people showed up with their dogs in tow, and about 10 of them dressed in costumes.
Move the Animal Shelter founder and event organizer Denise Lucas said all proceeds from the day’s events would be going toward a second dog park.
“Not a penny goes to the new shelter building, 100 percent goes to the new park which is planned for the back of Stotzky Park,” she said.
The group’s ultimate mission is to raise money to get a new town animal shelter built to replace the aging and often overcrowded shelter on Youngs Avenue, near the town dump.
Councilman Jim Wooten, who was also at the event, said there is enough land at Stotzky Park near Polish Town to make a dog park as large as Isaac Park, which is about a half an acre.
He said he recently walked Stotzky Park with town recreation department supervisor Ray Coyne.
“We looked at a spot by the back parking lot, near the soccer fields in a wooded area that marries up to the fire department land,” Mr. Wooten said.
Ms Lucas agreed that the goal at Stotzky is “to do exactly the same thing as here in Calverton.”
She noted that the fencing and infrastructure for Isaac Park cost $14,000, so she’ll be having many, many more events to raise the money.
Mr. Wooten said the area at Stotzky would be cleared by the town, but many trees would remain for shade for the dogs and their owners.
Ms. Lucas has had plans drawn up and a rendering of the proposed shelter building, which she said she and Mr. Wooten will be presenting to the town board at an upcoming work session.
They both said they would like to locate the new shelter behind the Isaac Dog Park treeline.
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