First I want to thank all of you who reached out to help tonight. It was the most significant meeting to be had with Parks Commissioners, as the pilot dog park ordinance was rewritten tonight. Without our input, we might not still have all 5 locations listed, plus promise by parks to look at all possibilities beyond these 5 and report back to city council by Oct 1, 2011. And the part about shooting an off leash bad dog, has been rewritten and moved to the appropriate ordinance, and no longer resides within this pilot ordinance.
I spoke at a special 10 minute session later, that the Livable City 4Dogs was given to reach out.
Jessica Eisenhauer
Edward Pais
I basically talked about the following parks, and asked that all 5 original locations remain in the ordinance. (starred)
Oakledge* a map will be submitted
Leddy a map will be submitted
Intervale* a map will be submitted
Schmanska*
Urban reserve* photos and maps were submitted earlier this year
Briggs and Flynn photos and map were submitted
Home and Batchelder photos and map were submitted
Land fill a map will be submitted
Starr Farm*
And I made a summary of many people's thoughts:
And suggested that dog owners work with parks employees to help maintain parks.
That all parks used at night have lights.
That all parks have parking within walking distance
That we have a big party every year as a fund raiser
That all dogs must have rabies tags to use park. Perhaps these tags are bright neon yellow, and are sold through vets, parks, and city hall. Maybe dog stores, too.
That dogs from outside the city have to go to city hall to get special tag to use park and perhaps pay a fee. This way someone can check that they have current rabies shots.
That signage really describes how to handle aggressive dogs and that they are not allowed in the park
That dog parks are checked weekly and repairs made accordingly.
Now parks and rec staff are being charged to look at all possibilities and report back to commissioners. Oct 1, 2011, commissioners report back to city council on where they are at with finding new dog parks. One commissioner appeared to want to look at 8 locations.
So everyone, start helping them to look. And research other parks to see how they handle fees, rules, aggressive dogs, rabies tags, funding, and what they put into their parks.
At anytime you can email this group with ideas, as well as send them to parks and rec. Joanne Putzier handles this; Joanne Putzier <JPut...@ci.Burlington.vt.us> and Carolyn Hanson regularly checks what we write on this email forum.
And I ask that if you want to discuss something with just one person of our group, that you take that off line, so we do not clog everyone's emails.
Thank you
Carolyn
April 26, 2011