Need Your Help: Mabel Davis Off Leash Park

[ccesparza]

I know everyone was excited to receive the recent news that a decision
was made by the parks board to move forward with the development of
the fenced Mabel Davis Off Leash Park. (It now moves into the design
phase).
Unfortunately, a new issue has come up. Three citizens from that
neighborhood spoke at Council this week against the decision to move
forward with the Mabel Davis Park. They stated they were dog owners
who walked their dogs at the park but were against the opening of an
off leash area. They also made claims that the process to arrive at
the decision to open it was unfair and stacked against them.

I think it is important that Council members hear both sides of the
story, in particular since there were many neighborhood meetings and
many advocates of opening this new off leash area.
Between now and Thursday March 29th. Please use all of your outreach
channels to communicate this to stakeholders and advocates of the
Mabel Davis Off Leash Park and Off Leash parks in general to write or
email council members to show their support and give the other side of
the story on why it is a good idea to support the decision that has
been made to develop the Mabel Davis Off Leash Park.

At this point, Council member Martinez has said he was very concerned
about the situation and the council members will be having a
discussion about it on Thursday to determine their next steps related
to the opening of this new Off Leash Park.

Please pass this information along to all who may be interested.

Council members contact information
http://www.austintexas.gov/department/city-council

Some thoughts on Mabel Davis and Off Leash Parks (feel free to use or
elaborate on in your own letters):
• Mabel Davis District Park in the southeast section of the city-

• There are a lot of people that live in the southeast section of the
city, and with more people means more dogs. According to the
2011-2012 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 62% of U.S. households own
a pet, which equates to 72.9 million homes
• Will be a 1.6 acre fenced park, and we need more fenced parks.
• Mabel Davis is a big park with other amenities, pool, skate park and
an existing trail so it can easily accommodate an off leash area.
• The neighborhood around Mabel Davis has supported an off leash are
and it was written and adopted in their neighborhood plan.
• There is heavy use in the city’s other eleven dog parks and opening
new parks is a way to reduce the overcrowding and the issues that come
along with it.
• More parks in the city mean more enjoyment out of all the parks for
everyone.
• Sometime dog owners really like the areas they have close to their
homes for their own enjoyment with their dogs but city owned land
should be used for the enjoyment of all city tax payers, and in this
case an off leash area will be a nice and needed new amenity.
• Austin, known for its rolling hills and inner-city parks, is the
nation's third most dog-friendly city according to www.DogFriendly.com
and Austin was the only Texas city in the top 10 and we want to keep
it there!
• We want to keep Austin Calm: Pets Help to Reduce Stress-walking and
playing with a pet helps to sooth nerves and offers instant
relaxation. Studies conducted worldwide have shown that the impact of
a stressful situation is lesser on pet owners, especially males, than
on those who do not own a pet. (Josephine M. Wills, Waltham Centre for
Pet Nutrition, United Kingdom).

Thanks,
Courtney, Off Leash Area Advisory Committee Volunteer