The dog run at Oneida Ave. and Van Cortlandt Park East, now bears the name of longtime resident Kathleen Duffy Corrigan, who advocated for the creation of the space to benefit the human and canine residents of Woodlawn.
A July 13 ceremony to rename the Oneida Dog Run, opened in 2018, was held in honor of Corrigan, a Woodlawn resident since the 1970s who died from cancer in 2022. Elected officials and family members remembered her as having endless compassion for both animals and people.
The renaming received unanimous support from Community Board 12, Assembly Member Jeff Dinowitz, Council Member Eric Dinowitz, parks officials and others who shared fond remembrances of Corrigan at the ceremony.
Bronx Borough Parks Commissioner Jessenia Aponte said Corrigan was a community advocate who fought tirelessly to bring a dog run to Van Cortlandt Park, “the jewel of the Bronx.”
The nearly 10-year effort to build the run was a reminder of the importance of shared public spaces, Aponte said.
“Going forward, every dog and every owner who walks through this space will do so under Kathleen’s name, and I hope that serves as a reminder of what one dedicated community member can accomplish.”
Borough President Vanessa Gibson said the opportunity to pay public tribute to longtime residents is one of her job’s highest honors.
Gibson said she received many letters of support, plus a petition, in favor of the renaming. But Corrigan herself worked quietly behind the scenes without an elected title, “asking nothing in return except the opportunity to improve our community, for our children, for our families and the neighbors we love so much.”
The dog run brings together all kinds of people every day, contributing to public safety and well-being, Gibson said. She described it as “not just a place for dogs to play, but a place for community to flourish.”
Council Member Eric Dinowitz said after visiting the dog run, he advised NYC Parks to invest in lint brushes for its merch collection.
Corrigan demonstrated the importance of holding elected officials and agencies accountable for meeting residents’ needs, Dinowitz said.
“Her legacy lives on in every single interaction that the dogs and dog parents have in that dog run.”
Kathleen’s daughter, Bernadette Corrigan, was joined at the ceremony by her two children, Connor and Kate. The renaming was “a huge deal for the family,” she said.
Corrigan described growing up amid an endless stream of rescued dogs that her mother took in off the streets.
“If mom said she was going to the store, there was always the chance she’d return home with another furry family member instead,” she said. “Her love for dogs wasn’t just something she talked about — it was something she lived every day.”
The dog run project took nearly 10 years, partly because it had to be tested multiple times to ensure it was free of Native American burial remains.
Throughout the process, Corrigan said her mother persevered. Even after her mother was diagnosed with cancer about 14 years ago, she continued caring for the run and its visitors, ensuring it was well-maintained and stocked with poop bags.
“This isn’t just the name of a dog run,” Corrigan said. “It’s a tribute to a woman whose kindness, determination, generosity and love touched countless lives, both human and canine.”
The three off-leash dog recreation areas within Van Cortlandt Park are: Kathleen Duffy Corrigan Dog Run at Oneida Avenue and Van Cortlandt Park East; Canine Court at Broadway and 252nd Street and Dog Bone Run at Gates Place and West Gun Hill Road.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
