Overhead lighting coming soon to Longboat’s dog park

The dog park at Bayfront Park will soon receive its second upgrade of the summer: lighting. 

These overhead lights will be installed at the dog park in the coming weeks and will allow Longboat’s canine residents to enjoy the park after the sun goes down. 

According to Streets, Facilities, Parks & Recreation Manager Mark Richardson, the Public Works department has the lights in hand and is waiting for the company to set an installation date. 

The park is currently open sunrise to sundown. The town has not yet decided how late it will be open once the lights are installed.

There will be three overhead lights that will cover the entire dog park. Richardson said the light company, Fonroche Lighting America, previously sent a crew to study the area and determine how many lights would be needed to adequately light the park. 

The three overhead lights will be powered by solar panels that will eliminate future electricity costs for those three. 

According to Fonroche Lighting America, solar lights can save 80% of the installation time compared with traditional overhead lighting. 

Richardson said  his department is looking to be more environmentally conscious when possible, and these lights could be a trial run. If these work out well, he said the department may look at installing similar lights in other areas. 

Overall, the lights and installation will cost about $16,000, and those funds are coming from donations to the Longboat Key Foundation. 

Those funds were originally donated for the Longboat Key Foundation’s campaign to fund the artificial turf installation at the dog park. 

But in May, Town Manager Howard Tipton decided to use $175,000 of town funds to install artificial turk at the dog park sooner rather than later. The benefit was mainly for maintenance, Tipton and Richardson both said at the time. Construction for the turf lasted until about mid-June. 

Tipton and town staff also hosted a “Bark in the Park” event in March to get community feedback about future projects for the dog park. That’s when Tipton said the town would fund the turf, leaving a little more than $16,000 for future projects. One of the suggestions at that time was overhead lighting. 

“It kind of was a win-win,” Richardson said, seeing that the funds were available to install something residents requested. 

More light, more socialization

On Longboat Key, the Bayfront Park dog park is the spot to go for dog owners. 

In all other areas of the town — including Joan M. Durante Park and the rest of Bayfront Park outside of the dog area — dogs are required to be on leashes at all times. Dogs are also prohibited from Longboat's beaches. 

But at Bayfront Park, owners can take their dogs to get some time outside and off the leash. 

The Bayfront Park dog park is a social hotspot for residents and visitors alike, and island dog owners are excited to see how the upgrades will improve the park. 

Stephanie Nygro said she takes her two dogs CharLee and Marathon to the dog park for about an hour almost every day. The dog park is something that has improved the whole atmosphere of the island, she said, adding that the social aspect among dog owners is another attraction. 

She said she’s been happy with the last upgrade with the turf and said it’s been a great thing for the users. Nygro also thinks the lights will be a great addition, especially in the winter months when the sun sets earlier. 

Photo by Carter Weinhofer

Debbi Nettlow frequently goes to the Bayfront Park dog park with her three pups Louie, Lola and Mitzi in the stroller. She also said the lights will be especially helpful to let dogs and their owners socialize in the winter months. 

Nettlow agreed that the park has become a social hub on the island and said anything that improves the park is welcomed by the users. 

“It’s just such a fabulous park,” Nettlow said.