Hoboken To Reopen Dog Runs, With 6 Feet Social Distancing

HOBOKEN, NJ — After being closed since March to slow the spread of coronavirus, Hoboken's dog parks will reopen Saturday at 8 a.m., including two newly resurfaced dog runs.

But the city will require people to stay six feet away from each other (good news — that's apparently only for humans). They also will limit the number of occupants in most dog runs to 15 (see below).

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The dog runs will have the following rules:

• Social distancing: all dog owners must maintain at least six feet of separation at all times
• Face masks or face covers are required at all times. Dog owners without a face mask or face cover will be denied entry.
• Dogs must be licensed with the city of Hoboken.

City staff will be on hand to ensure the social distancing, face mask, and capacity requirements are followed.

Capacity limits:

1. Church Square Park (Large Dog Run Capacity: 20 people, Small Dog Run Capacity: 10 people)
2. Elysian Park (Dog Run Capacity: 15 people)
3. Harborside Park (Dog Run Capacity: 15 people)
4. Hudson Street (Large Dog Run Capacity:10 people, Small Dog Run Capacity: 5 people)
5. Stevens Park (Dog Run Capacity: 15 people)
6. Southwest Park (Dog Run Capacity: 10 people)
7. 14th Street Viaduct (Dog Run Capacity: 10 people. NOTE: The Viaduct Dog Park will be closed when the adjacent COVID-19 testing center is open to the public, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday)
8. Maxwell Park (East Dog Run Capacity: 5 people, West Dog Run Capacity: 5 people)

The parks opening Saturday will include the brand new, K9 dog turf at the renovated Church Square Park Dog Run and Stevens Park Dog Run. "This renovation was a popular request from dog owners," said a release from the city.

In related coronavirus news, the city said it will continue its "open streets" program this weekend on Jackson Street from Second Street to Seventh Street, and nearby blocks of Grand Street, Jefferson Street, and Adams Street. Those blocks will be closed to cars, so people can walk and bike in the streets and maintain social distancing.

Coronavirus statistics: Good and bad

Thursday night, the city of Hoboken said it had no increase in confirmed coronavirus cases since the day before. The number of confirmed cases stands at 569, with 29 resident deaths.

Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday that statewide, New Jersey had its highest coronavirus-related daily hospitalization number in a week: 365. He also said that 287 people who had the virus were released from the hospital that day. Murphy said it was rare to have more people entering the hospital than leaving in a given day.

Murphy has been allowing certain types of businesses and facilities to reopen, but said any reopenings have to be done slowly and predicated on data, to avoid a new spike.

Statewide, as of Thursday, the number of coronavirus cases in New Jersey had risen to 157,185, and 11,401 people have died. The number represented 1,261 new confirmed cases and 66 more deaths.

On April 30, the death rate reached a peak in New Jersey, as 460 New Jerseyans lost their lives to the virus in 24 hours, or one person every three minutes. The number of new deaths then began to gradually decline.

On Wednesday, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla announced that local health clubs could apply to conduct classes and trainings outdoors.

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