First Selectman Fred Camillo wants Greenwich to have three dog parks, not just one.

Camillo outlined a vision for off-leash parks on both sides of town during the Board of Selectmen's Aug. 27 meeting, where a proposed dog park in Byram received its first read. Once that western-side project clears its approvals, Camillo said, the town will turn its attention east.

"Once we can get this done, we'll focus on the eastern side of town," Camillo said at the Aug. 27 meeting, according to Patch.

No specific location, timeline or funding plan for the eastern park has been announced. Camillo told Greenwich Time that eastern-side residents have asked for a dog park closer to their neighborhoods.

Byram proposal moves forward

The more immediate project is a roughly 11,000-square-foot off-leash area at the former Rosenwald property at 1 Ritch Ave. in Byram Park. The fenced enclosure would hold up to 10 dogs at a time, with a limit of two dogs per person.

The estimated cost is $30,000, all raised through private donations, covering fencing and gates, stone wall repair, a seasonal water connection, site restoration, a pet waste station, signage and contingency funds.

The Board of Health approved off-leash use at the site in February 2025. The Board of Parks and Recreation reviewed the plan without objection. The selectmen referred the proposal to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a Municipal Improvement status review, and a second read is tentatively set for the selectmen's next meeting.

This is the third attempt at a west-side dog park. Glenville residents rejected a plan in 2023, and officials floated a similar Byram Park idea in 2024, Greenwich Time reported.

Concerns at the first read

Not everyone is sold. Myrna Gardner of Friends of Byram Park told the selectmen that loose dogs already roam the park and beach, and warned that a designated dog park could encourage more off-leash violations during peak season.

Selectwoman Lauren Rabin raised concerns about limited parking at the site, particularly for seasonal visitors. Selectwoman Rachel Khanna asked for a breakdown of ongoing maintenance costs and questioned potential water quality impacts at nearby Byram Beach.

Parks and Recreation Director Joe Siciliano said the park would sit about 1,500 feet from the water and called contamination risk "pretty remote." He noted Byram Beach already has water quality challenges, earning a D+ grade in Save the Sound's annual beach report.

Ongoing maintenance costs would be minimal, Siciliano said, because Parks and Recreation crews already mow the area.

Three parks, one vision

Greenwich's only existing dog park sits at Grass Island, where it opened in 2005 after five years of work. Camillo has long envisioned a network of three: Grass Island in central Greenwich, Byram on the west side and a future park somewhere on the east side.

The selectmen's second read on the Byram proposal has not been given a firm date. Residents can attend Board of Selectmen meetings to comment on the plan.