One of the late Chris Angel’s last wishes was for a dog park on St. John, and John Garrison, a program director the Trust for Public Land, is working to make that happen. Angel died of cancer on Jan. 17.
“It will be a place where dogs can socialize and owners can socialize,” Garrison said.
The Trust for Public Land will sponsor the project, but Garrison said volunteers and money will be required to make things like a fence and water supply happen.
There are a few locations under consideration, but Garrison said it looks like an acre of land at Maho Bay will be the likely candidate.
He said the land is on the inland side on a piece of property the trust owns along the North Shore Road. Called the Penn property, it’s near the end of the beach where the pavilion sits.
Garrison envisioned a trail that will run from the far end of the beach at the parking lot by the bend in the North Shore Road to the dog park. This would give owners a place to walk their leashed dogs on a trail.
Once they reach the fenced dog park, the dogs will be allowed off their leashes, Garrison said.
The dog park will need an organization to run it, and Garrison said that it could be an existing organization or one formed to operate the dog park.
The dog park will fill a big need. Most of St. John’s open spaces and beaches are national park property, meaning they are off-limits to dogs. This presents a challenge to local dog owners who struggle to find places to exercise and socialize their canine companions.
“Chris had two words for me: dog park,” Garrison said. “He knew a dog park was desperately needed on the island and that a mutual love of dogs could bring the people together.”
To compound matters, St. John’s roads lack sidewalks and shoulders, presenting safety concerns for dog walkers.
“People have to walk their dogs on crowded roads,” Garrison said. “There have been a couple of incidents where people and dogs have been hit. A safe place to exercise dogs would be a huge island amenity.”
To help make the dog park a reality, email Garrison at john.garrison@tpl.org or call 727-895-5090.
