Council Renames Dixon Street Dog Park for K-9 Judge
Allentown City Council adopted an ordinance renaming the two-acre park after a 14-year-old Labrador Retriever who served the fire department.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in City Hall
Allentown City Council voted Wednesday night to adopt an ordinance renaming the Dixon Street Dog Park to Judge Memorial Dog Park at Dixon Street. The council also amended the ordinance to eliminate the key fob requirement for entry.
Why it matters
The renaming honors Judge, a 14-year-old Labrador Retriever who served the Allentown Fire Department's first arson K-9 unit. The key fob change alters how residents access the park.
The council adopted the renaming by ordinance vote, and the amendment removed the key fob requirement for park entry. The Bill 82 affordable workforce housing measure, which ties affordability requirements to City Housing Trust Fund funding above $250,000, has not been resolved.
The players
Santos Napoli
Council President of Allentown City Council, who referred Bill 82 to a special meeting.
Judge
A 14-year-old Labrador Retriever who served the Allentown Fire Department's first arson K-9 unit, for whom the park is named.
The details
The council approved the renaming through an ordinance vote, and the amendment eliminated the requirement to obtain and use a key fob for entrance. Council President Santos Napoli separately referred Bill 82 to a special meeting, and no council members objected to that referral.
Timeline
Wednesday: Council voted to adopt the dog park renaming ordinance.
November 11, 5:30 p.m.: Special meeting to review Bill 82 and department budgets.
Legacy of Service
The renaming memorializes Judge, who served in the Allentown Fire Department's first arson K-9 unit, placing a municipal park in direct recognition of that early service. The honor ties a local public amenity to the department's history of canine investigative work.
Residents no longer need a key fob to enter the Dixon Street dog park, which is now named Judge Memorial Dog Park. Those who use the park should expect the renamed signage and the revised entry rules going forward.
The takeaway
Local ordinances can recognize public service animals and change access rules in the same session, and residents should watch the November 11 special meeting for the Bill 82 affordable housing outcome.
What happens next
Council will review Bill 82 and department budgets at a special meeting on November 11, 2026 at 5:30 p.m.
Further reading
Follow more local decisions in the City Hall section for Allentown.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WFMZ.
