THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER are a distant memory, but dogs and their owners are in the news again, regardless of the season.
It seems there’s an issue with folks bringing their furry friends to our city parks and finding they’re not all that welcome.
I don’t know what percentage of our households have dogs as pets, but I have to believe it’s at least as high as the national average, if not greater. Take a drive around our neighborhoods and you’re sure to see someone out walking their dog(s).
The problem arises when dog owners are irresponsible with regards to control and management of their beloved Fido. Walking your dog? Fine. Not on a leash? Not fine. Got a poop bag? Fine. Stop, drop, and roll without cleaning up? Not fine.
Societal rules and written ordinances for responsible dog walking are pretty simple. Keep your dog on a leash and pick up after them. The system works pretty well when spread across acres of residential neighborhoods. The problem becomes more acute when concentrated in our city parks.
With a few exceptions… like Presque Isle and most of our beaches, dogs are allowed on city property. But apparently, as is too often the case, a few are ruining it for the many.
Pets, Parents, and Problems
According to recent news reports, the Marquette Parks & Recreation Advisory Board has fielded complaints about owners allowing their dogs to behave in a way that threatens kids enjoying play areas, as well as looking the other way when it’s time to pick up the poop. The new Kids Cove Playground at Mattson Park was mentioned as an area of particular concern.
The city can’t do much about those transgressions when they occur out and about, but they could decide to ban dogs from our parks, and that’s what’s being suggested.
The issue will be front and center at the Parks & Rec Advisory Board’s next meeting, Monday at 5:30, in the Citizens’ Forum room at Lakeview Arena. There will be opportunities for public comment which could serve to inform the committee on how they’d like to proceed.
According to one unnamed advisory board member, that group has yet to discuss the issue in depth, so there’s no preconceived position already in place. “It would be helpful to come together as a community to discuss solutions to potential concerns if the goal is to be a dog friendly community.” Yes… dog friendly. Who doesn’t want that?
Not speaking for the Parks & Rec committee, but merely as a fellow resident, board member John Stewart understands the current concerns. “I believe parents with small children are deterred from using our playgrounds because they don’t want to take a chance with their children’s safety.”
Their Own Park
So, while we’re talking about our city going to the dogs, what’s going on with the effort to come up with a year-round dog park? When a plot of land becomes available, the cries follow to turn it into a dog park. The vacant Board of Light and Power property on South Lake Street? Make it a dog park!
That’s probably not going to happen, but the suggestion has been made that the Cliffs Dow property on Lakeshore Boulevard would serve as a great dog park. Since the deal with the state to put the veterans’ facility there fell through, there are currently no firm plans for future development. Tourist Park, seen above, works well in winter months, but canine enthusiasts are searching for a year-round site. In fact, they’ve got a petition on display at Tourist Park in the attempt to show city leaders of the need for more off-leash space.
Would the Cliffs Dow site actually work? It’s an open area, fenced in, and easily accessible to city residents. Most of the residual contamination is below the surface, so likely not hazardous to dogs and their masters. However, since it was an industrial site and more recently used as a dump of sorts, there’s a fair amount of dangerous materials that would have to be removed or mitigated, somehow.
Since the city would want to keep the property available for future development, anything done at the Cliffs Dow site could not be considered permanent. But it sure could serve the need until another site were to be identified.
Again… the Parks & Rec meeting where you can share your thoughts is Monday at 5:30 in the Citizens’ Forum room at Lakeview Arena. If you’re just complaining on Facebook, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
In Case You Missed It…
The Big Ten Network is running a half-hour special on Tom Izzo and his return to Northern for the October basketball game between his Spartans and the Wildcats. It has already aired a couple times, but it’s scheduled to run again tomorrow (Saturday) at 8am and again Tuesday at 6pm.
The show is called The B1G Story: Tom Izzo Back Home Again, and features a lot about Tom as well as Marquette and NMU. Whether you were at the game or not, I think you’ll enjoy this well-produced presentation.