Rosedale is a land conservancy, not a dog park, and our mission is to preserve and protect the nationally-registered historic landscape.
Therefore, we limit the number of dogs that can be registered each year to prevent the overuse and degradation of the grounds, as well as to help ensure safety for all dogs and people.
As an all-volunteer endeavor Rosedale needs all visitors, including dog owners, to be stewards of the park and its protected landscape. We welcome those who abide by the use rules we’ve established, value the privilege of using the green space, and enjoy the community that Rosedale provides. We all want Rosedale to thrive and be a welcoming place for everyone.
- Registration allows us to track the number of dogs at Rosedale to ensure against overuse and degradation, and allows for ready communication if necessary.
- Registration helps ensure that Rosedale is used by dog owners who are committed to the health of the lawns and respect of the rules.
- Use by those who view Rosedale as a “destination dog park” is strongly discouraged.
Dog waitlist policy and background
Due to the explosion in dog ownership during the pandemic, Rosedale received unprecedented and overwhelming interest in dog registrations. Not only could the requests not be granted, they could not be administered in a way that was expeditious and could promise registration within a reasonable number of years. Because dogs live between 10-15 years, and most members renew each year, there is not a lot of turnover.
In response, we undertook an extensive review of our dog policies and capacity, including a survey of interested dog owners (if you were able to participate, we thank you very much). We conducted several lengthy discussions with our Board about how best to align the mission of Rosedale – to maintain and preserve the natural and historic grounds of this community “village green” for enjoyment by the public — with such overwhelming and understandable interest in dog use.
After deliberation, the Board has decided to limit the wait pool for dog registrations to those who live within a geographic radius of the Conservancy. The geographic boundaries were chosen to encourage the use of Rosedale by dogs and owners who arrive to the park on foot and to create and sustain a wait pool that will move at a reasonable rate rather than take many, many years for someone to receive a registration.
In December of each year, our returning members make their donations for membership and dog registrations for the following year. By mid January, we know how many spots are open for new dog registrations. We then start reaching out the people on the wait list in chronological, first come – first served order.
We appreciate your understanding of the difficulties of managing the high demand for this wonderful greenspace.
Steps for being added to the waitlist
- If you are interested in being placed on the wait list, you must reside within the geographic boundary indicated on the map below. The boundaries were chosen to center Rosedale in an area that would encourage all dog registrants to arrive to the park on foot, would accommodate both single-home and high-density residences, and ultimately would yield a waitlist that would be manageable and make registration a likelihood within a 1-3 year period.
- If you reside within the boundary designated on the map, you will need to join as a member ($100 per year) or associate member ($30 per year) to reserve a spot on the wait list here –
https://www.rosedaleconservancy.org/amember/signup - If you do not reside within the boundary, we are sorry not to be able to welcome your dog to Rosedale at this time, but we encourage you to enjoy Rosedale’s historic grounds and annual events open to the public and to support Rosedale with a membership or contribution.
- We commit to continuing to evaluate this new policy, the boundaries, and the Conservancy’s capacity for dogs in the future.
Dog Committee
Richard Peyster, Chair
Judy Ain
Laura DeBonis
Rachel Kaplan
Danna McCormick
Deb Niemeier
Jerry Richman
Jim Rubin
Gayle Union
Dog Use Rules
Off Leash Hours
| Off-Leash Hours | November - March Standard Time | March - November Daylight Savings Time |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday mornings | 7 - 11 am | 7 - 11 am |
| Weekend mornings | 8 - 11 am | 8 - 11 am |
| Weekday afternoons | 3 - 6 pm | 5 - 7 pm |
| Saturday afternoon | 3 - 6 pm | No off-leash hours |
| Sunday afternoon | 3 - 6 pm | 5 - 7 pm |
Admittance
No dog may enter the park unless it is registered with the Conservancy and wearing the current Rosedale tag. Only Conservancy members may register their dogs. The annual membership is $100 and the annual dog registration fee is $75 per dog. Each registered dog will receive by mail a Rosedale tag that must be worn at all times while at Rosedale.
Owners must monitor their dogs at all times
Dogs must be under the owner’s control and within the owner’s sight at all times. Dog owners and walkers are responsible for preventing their dogs from digging or otherwise damaging the property, fighting, or trespassing on the private property that surrounds Rosedale. Dog owners or walkers may not bring more than two dogs to Rosedale at a time, even if the dogs are properly registered.
Pickup after your dog(s)
There are no trash cans, nor is there trash removal service at Rosedale. All users of Rosedale are responsible for picking up after their dogs and themselves, and disposing of their own trash in their own trash receptacles. Please do not use the trash receptacles of neighboring residents to dispose of your trash. Do not leave trash at Rosedale.
Aggressive Dogs
Any dog exhibiting aggressive behavior or loud barking must be removed from the property immediately. Reports of aggressive dogs or incidents should be submitted to dogs@rosedaleconservancy.org. These reports are reviewed the Rosedale Dog Committee and action is taken at the sole discretion of the Dog Committee. Action may include a warning or revocation of the member’s privilege to bring the dog to Rosedale.
Wet grounds
Pedestrian and dog traffic is especially hard on the lawns when they are wet. Turf repair and restoratation is slow and expensive. We close Rosedale when the grounds are too soggy and muddy, and this is always posted on the website. When in doubt, check the website before you head over.
Private Property
Please respect the Conservancy’s neighbors’ rights to privacy and quiet. The farmhouse and other property above the hill on the north side of the lawns, and those properties bordered by fences and walls to the east and west of the Conservancy, are privately owned and occupied. Please do not allow dogs or children to trespass onto private property. The Newark Street driveway is private property. However, pedestrians may enter Rosedale both from the driveway and through the gate at Newark and 35th Street.
By registering your dog, you agree to abide by Rosedale’s Dog Use Rules. You acknowledge that Rosedale reserves the right to revoke your dog license for failure to comply with these rules.
- I agree that my dog(s) will wear the Rosedale tag whenever they are at Rosedale.
- I agree to abide by the rules of The Rosedale Conservancy as to hours of off-leash use.
- I agree to bring bags to pick up after my dog(s) and to take the bags home and dispose of them in my own trash. I will not leave any trash at Rosedale.
- I agree to monitor the behavior of my dog(s) at Rosedale, to prevent behavior that denigrates the historic grounds, violates private property, or creates a disturbance for immediate neighbors and others enjoying Rosedale.
- I agree that if my dog acts aggressively, I must remove my dog from the park immediately, and that any aggressive actions may be reported, recorded, and result in loss of my privilege to visit Rosedale with my dog. I understand that any such decision will be made at the discretion of the Rosedale Conservancy. In addition, if my dog causes injury to another dog or to a person, I will pay any veterinary or medical expenses and hereby indemnify The Rosedale Conservancy for any claim arising from such injury, or any other claims that may arise related to my dog’s use of the Rosedale grounds.
The Rosedale Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and all contributions are deductible to the extent allowed by law.