• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

GRAND FORKS CITY COUNCIL: Fenceless Downtown Dog Park Criticized at Public Meeting

Posted on: Friday, 2 June 2006, 15:00 CDT

By Kyle Johnson, Grand Forks Herald, N.D.

Jun. 2--A proposal to build a dog park on the Greenway faced criticism at the first public meeting to discuss the matter, most of the concern focused on the fenceless design of the proposal.

Greenway coordinator Melanie Parvey-Biby said the plan is not perfect, but it would be a good start.

"This is not the best option, but it's better than what we have now," said Parvey-Biby. Grand Forks does not have a dog park, although proposals to build one have been around for several years now.

The park would include four acres of Greenway land, the area between the river and the floodwall from Second Avenue North to Seventh Avenue North. This space would be used to allow dogs to roam freely without a leash, which is currently against city ordinances.

Parvey-Biby said fencing could hold back flood debris and raise water levels.

City Council member Eliot Glassheim said fencing is necessary, however, to ensure the safety of those passing through the area. The park would be located near the bike paths running through the Greenway.

"Without fencing, I think it would be a disaster," he said. "This plan is not good for dog owners, and it is just a bad use of the land."

About a dozen people attended the meeting, and most made similar points. Glassheim and several citizens said there would be no natural boundaries to deter dogs leaving the area, something most fenceless dog parks have.

"If the dogs have the whole area between the river and the wall, then there's nothing left for the people to use," he said.

Parvey-Biby said fencing would have a substantial impact on the cost of the park. A two acre dog park in Fargo cost $30,000 for fencing. Without the fence, the only cost would be in building "doggie disposal stations" and signs.

The other proposed location is at Lions Park, located at South 34th Street and 24th Avenue South. The cost for a park at this location would be much greater because parking lot and restroom facilities would need to be built, something the downtown location already has. A park here could cost more than $50,000, Parvey-Biby said.

Glassheim said concern about cost is "fraudulent" because it would be better to build a park suitable for the city's needs than to build one with a lot of problems. He suggested placing temporary fencing at the downtown site to allow for easy removal each year.

Parvey-Biby admitted that a fenceless dog park would not be suitable for all dog owners because the owners would need voice control over their dogs.

But, as many of the people in attendance said, any dog park is better than what the city offers now.

"Most people don't care where the location is, they just want one somewhere," Parvey-Biby said. "This is a start."

Another public meeting will be held to discuss the proposal for the Lions Park location at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Century Elementary School library.

The issue will be discussed at the June 12 City Council meeting, and likely will be voted on at the June 19 meeting. If the downtown location is approved, Parvey-Biby said it could be open sometime this summer.

Johnson is a student intern from UND. Reach him at (701) 780-1107; (800) 477-6572, ext. 107; or kjohnson@gfherald.com.

-----

Copyright (c) 2006, Grand Forks Herald, N.D.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Source: Grand Forks Herald (Grand Forks, N.D.)

More News in this Category