Dedicated Off-Leash Area Established
At the recommendation of the City Manager and Parks and Recreation Commissioner, the City Council has voted unanimously to amend the rules for dog-walking in Ward Acres park by establishing a multi-acre area (by far the largest in Westchester) in which pets may be off-leash throughout the day, while discontinuing the practice of off-leash hours in other portions of the park.
DOWNLOAD a summary of the new Ward Acres policy. DOWNLOAD the Ward Acres Natural Resource Management Plan.
Our staff’s recommendation and the Council action were guided by a Natural Resource Management Plan produced by County environmental experts and by expressions of public dissatisfaction with the current regulatory structure. The new policy will be effective on April 1st. The City’s efforts to restore the park’s ecology through invasive vine removal and other steps will continue throughout the winter.