August 14. Photographed from the Asbury side of the divide. They have a better view than we do. Paul Goldfinger photos © click to enlarge.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
I grew up in apartments, so nobody I knew had a dog. As a kid, walking the dog was a yoyo trick. There were few dogs in our community of garden apartments. I guess dogs weren’t allowed, but somehow my friends and I were always stepping in dog poop. I hated that!. But one of the miracles of life in New Jersey now is that it is rare to step in poop. People “pick up after” their dogs. Wouldn’t it be great if dogs could pick up for themselves?
I can’t have a dog due to asthma, but both my sons have dogs. Once when they were small we tried a little dog, and I couldn’t breathe; so they had to choose between me or the dog, and I almost lost.
Now there are signs around the Grove that say, “Curb your dog.” But guess what—-that saying has nothing to do with curbs. Well, actually, it depends where you are. In a city, no one wants to find poop on the sidewalks, on the buildings, or grassy strips, so curb means the curb. But in Fireman’s Park, curb means to pick up after your dog which means let the dog pick up first and then you go. Right?
OG must have more dogs per capita than most places. Yet there is no dog park or dog beach. The Township and the CMA have been useless in terms of doing something for dog people and their dogs, despite petitions and personal appeals to the Committee and the CMA. It’s too bad dogs can’t vote, but their owners can.
Jamie Foxx, Quvenzhané Wallis and Rose Byrne, from the film Annie (2014) “I Don’t Need Anything But You.”
The northern most part of OG’s beach forbids swimming because it is dedicated for the surfers. But surfers have no interest in the beach—only the ocean, and swimmers don’t go there—no lifeguards. There is no good reason not to allow that area to be used as a dog beach. The Asbury dog beach is wonderful. I like to go there, as do other who don’t own dogs, just to watch the human parade (a great place for photography) and the canine antics.
We really should have a dog beach in OG—it would make a lot of people (and their furry friends) happy. The CMA officially is charged with the task of making our beach available for recreation. After all,they did it for the surfers. Other towns make it work, so why not this one? —Paul @Blogfinger
Good article Finger. I never really understood the expression “curb your dog.”
There are so many beautiful locations in OG which would provide for a dog run. It’s amazing that this town doesn’t have one. How nice it would be to have a park location where Grovers and their dogs could socialize and watch their furry friends play – all year round.
I agree Paul, a year round designated dog beach in OG is much needed. I suggest the beach between the Casino & the surviving ‘North End’ building. There is also the large grassy area adjacent to the Inskip Ave tennis courts, however the the OGCMA ‘pooped’ all over that idea earlier this year.
Sorry to hear you are allergic to dogs. I have a good friend who absolutely loves canines, but cannot have her own for the same reason. She takes an allergy med before heading over to my house. My dogs get to be adored by her for a little while, in return she gets her ‘dog fix’.