When Elizabeth Morris moved to the Floridana Beach area from San Diego a little over a year ago, she noticed a lack of dog parks and dog-friendly beaches – so she decided to do something about it.
“I have a Basenji named Kiya. She doesn’t bark but she yodels when she gets excited,” Morris said. “Exercise is very important to her daily routine, you can often see us biking together on A1A outside of Aquarina. She’s attached to a long rope and she runs along the side of my bike.”
But Morris wanted more than a run along A1A for her dog. With the support of Beth Glover, president of the Floridana Beach Home Owners’ Association, Morris hosted a booth at the Floridana Beach Bazaar and gathered signatures, petitioning for a dog park.
She soon found additional support from County Commissioner John Tobia – who is helping make the dog park a reality.
“Commissioner Tobia did advocate for the park and it was included in the 2018-19 budget, however the idea came from constituent Elizabeth Morris,” said legislative assistant Bethany Iliff. “She gathered petitions and kept open communication between our office and Parks and Rec to make it happen.”
The new dog park begins construction this month and should be complete by early 2019. It will be located on the grounds of the South Beach Community Park at 500 Old Tropical Trail in Melbourne Beach.
According to Brevard County Parks and Recreation Director Mary Ellen Donner, the preliminary estimate to construct the dog park is $44,020, with an annual operating cost estimated at $24,681. The tree-lined park will be approximately 250 feet by 100 feet and offer sections for both large and small dogs. A 6-foot, vinyl-coated fence will surround it, and it will include a waste station, a fountain for dogs and a dog-wash station.
The South Beach Community Center will be installing four new benches on the grounds and recruit a team of volunteers to help keep the park clean.
Morris is quick to say she is not solely responsible for the new park. She credits many people in her community for helping push the issue forward.
“When I was collecting signatures for the petition, people would take a page, make a copy and go collect signatures in their neighborhood,” Morris said. “So many people really wanted this, and I am just so excited we all have a great place to take our dogs now.”
