Sunday, October 28, 2007
Editorial: Fence the dog park
But keep it fee-free. This is, after all, public space.
From the RoundTable blog
Read the latest entries
Fencing Roanoke's dog park at Fishburn Park and adding benches, water fountains and trash bins is a fine, if overdue, idea.
The half-acre dog park wasn't used as much as parks officials had hoped during its six-month trial period, which began in March. A fence likely would increase use by dog owners who might be hesitant to allow their pooches to run free in a park without enclosed boundaries.
So a fence would be a wise investment. The youthful NewVA Connects organization wants to raise $30,000 to cover the estimated cost of fencing a full acre and adding amenities. The city seems to back the idea, particularly the fund-raising piece.
But here's one snag: NewVA Connects has recommended charging a membership fee to offset maintenance costs.
Fees are appropriate for private off-leash sites, such as the Six Wags Dog Park in Salem, where annual memberships range from $199 to $299.
But a membership fee -- whether $5 or $50 -- to use public space already maintained by the city is inappropriate.
Nearby Greensboro has operated a 4 12-acre fenced dog park -- BarkPark -- for four years. The city doesn't charge a user fee.
Other than the purchase of poop bags, there's not been much more maintenance than mowing grass, mulching and removing dead and fallen trees, Larry Barham, the park's manager says. And that is maintenance the Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department would perform with or without the designated dog space.
Would Barham like to impose a fee? Sure. Those poop bags eat into the park's budget, he says. But Greensboro has yet to seriously entertain the idea of charging people for the privilege of letting their dogs run and romp in a public park.
Roanoke shouldn't either. The city should, however, give the fence project a firm go-ahead.
