Dog Park At Bayonet Farm In Holmdel To Close Soon For Upkeep

HOLMDEL, NJ — The township's Alexander Ching Dog Park will close for annual maintenance beginning Jan. 2, running through an undetermined date in the spring, according to the township.

The dog park closes for a winter moratorium at this time every year to maintain it and to provide safe and dependable facilities, said Barbara Kovalesky, director of Purchasing/Grant Coordinator for the township.

The park is a one-acre parcel at Bayonet Farm in Holmdel, 41 Middletown Road. It features separate play areas for small and large dogs where they can legally run off-leash.

There is a Thompson Park off-leash dog park and a Marlboro Township dog park in the immediate area, Kovalesky noted.

The dog park is dedicated to late Holmdel resident Alexander Ching, who died as a young man from cancer. In 2020 his family approached the township with a request of a way to pay tribute to Alex's memory by construction of the park.

The project was fully funded through private donations, fundraisers and volunteers. The park opened on May 31, 2021, with an official "leash cutting," according to the township. It is open "to all dog lovers in and outside the borders of Holmdel," the township said.

The Ching family and township strive to improve the park every day, the township says. The Alexander Ching Memorial Fund is a nonprofit organization focused on the maintenance of the off-leash dog park and supporting animal well-being initiatives.

If you are interested in donating or volunteering some time, visit the foundation’s Facebook page - Alex’s Paw Park, email AlexanderChingMemorialDogPark@gmail.com or contact Holmdel Township’s Recreation Department rward@holmdeltownship.com.