All The News That's Fit To Bark
Petie's Humans have been tracking the status of off leash areas and dog
parks for the people of Tacoma.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
The 2005 Master Plan for Wapato Park includes an off leash area.
If you have comments please contact Kristi Evans at Metro Parks Tacoma.
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Metro Parks is hosting a public forum on the future of the North End's Kandle
Park. [UPDATE - After consideration Kandle Park appears to have been
rejected as a possible site]
Attend a community meeting to review and comment on proposed community park improvements including a fenced off-leash dog area, skatepark, walking trails and more. A final design for Kandle Park will be developed based on the comments and input received at this meeting.
Tuesday, May 17th 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Metro Parks Tacoma Admin. Bldg.
4702 So. 19th Street
Sunday, May 15, 2005
University Place is looking at the possibility of an off leash area at the
new Chambers Creek Properties, and The News Tribune recently carried a story
about the issue.
Sunday, March 27, 2005
Tacoma's pilot program at Rogers Park has been open since October 2004,
and now Pierce County's effort at Fort Steilacoom Park has been jump started.
For more information, you can visit ParkDogs.com .
Would you like to play a leadership role in either of these efforts, drop
us an email!
Friday, October 15, 2004
Tacoma's first off-leash dog park opens. The News Tribune has a nice feature
today about the opening of Rogers Park. Be there or be square - 9 a.m. Saturday
October 16! We also received this nice letter from Amy Horton, the person
pictured in the article:
"I would just like to thank all the volunteers for making this park
happen. Rusty has never been happier nor has he ever slept so well through
the night and past at least four am. For that alone I thank you. I would
also like to thank Comcast. I noticed a huge group of them spreading beauty
bark and yanking out blackberry bushes. It must have taken a lot of work.
Tacoma residents have shown great community effort and spirit in this project
and that's a wonderful feeling. "
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
GOOD NEWS! The opening of Tacoma's first off-leash area is at 9 a.m.
on Saturday October 16 2004, at Rogers Park at 3300 East L St. We will meet
at the Shelter in the upper area of the park for an informal opening, and
then we will PLAY!
Friday, July 02, 2004
Metro Parks continuesd to make progress in launching an off leash area at
Rogers Park . The News Tribune reports in today's edition that a launch
by the end of August is likely. At about 1-acre, the Rogers Off Leash Area
will be a good size for a neighborhood park, and we will continue to seek
other neighbrohood and regional opportunities.
Monday, May 17, 2004
Twists and turns, my friends, twists and turns. Roosevelt Park has been
taken off the table because the School District would like to use it. We
are making efforts to re-open discussions for use of the original number
one site at the Landfill.
In the meantime, Metro Parks is proposing a 1-acre off leash area at Rogers Park at E 35th and L. Rogers is presently offline, and an off-leash area would help revitalize the entire park. While Rogers is not large enough to be a regional park, it has potential as a neighborhood off leash area.
Metro Parks is presenting concept and general design for Rogers Park to
ENACT (Eastside Neighborhood Council) on May 17 at 6:30 PM at Stewart Heights
Park - 402 E 56th St.
Sunday, January 18, 2004
PROGRESS REPORT
With a mandate from the Board of Park Commissioners and the Planning Staff at Metro Parks, significant headway is being made on lauching a pilot program in 2004. The original site between Home Depot and the Tacoma Landfill is no longer available, so we have been looking at other top sites from the 2001 study as well as new alternatives.
The first choice is Roosevelt Park (see the area bounded on the north and south by a path, on the west by Roosevelt Avenue, on on the east by a fence), an unmaintained park near Roosevelt Elementary School on the east side of Tacoma. The panel toured the park today and found it to be an excellent choice for many reasons.
Most of the necessary fencing is in place, and the area inside the walking path is flat, wide open and dry. According to neighbors existing park use is light, and we believe a dog park will bring benefits to neighbors while drawing people from around the city to area shopping and cultural centers.
Metro Parks has commenced an investigation of the steps necessary to launch a pilot program at Roosevelt Park, and plans to hold a public meeting this Spring.
Would you like to help? Come to our weekly dog walks, Saturdays at 10 a.m.,
as we take the park for a test drive and come up with recommendations for
ensuring the success of the pilot project.
Monday, November 03, 2003
ADVISORY PANEL MEETING
Members of the 2000-2001 Off Leash Dog Park Advisory Panel met on October 29 with Metro Parks Tacoma. Metro's Planning Department confirmed that the acquisition cost of the capped Landfill site is too high, with an annual rental of $53,000 not including maintenance and operations. While negotation continues, we need to look at other options.
Metro Parks has been studying several approaches, including:
1. Cooperation with Lakewood and Pierce County in launching the off leash
area at Fort Steilacoom
2. Several possibilities for smaller fenced off leash areas within Tacoma
3. Designating time-restricted off leash areas in some parks, formalizing
the morning activity that already takes place in those parks
While all of these possibilities have merit, concern exists that few Tacomans would drive to Fort Steilacoom. While a large regional facility can be part of a network of parks, the Panel feels Metro's financial support should be directed within Metro's boundaries.
The Panel will reconvene after further study by Metro Parks, and additional
Panel members may be recruited from the list of interested parties who have
indicated their interest to Metro Parks or TacomaDogPark.com.
Saturday, October 25, 2003
METRO PARKS SURVEY
Today's News Tribune (Saturday October 25, 2003) contains a Metro Parks survey on page E6 (Soundlife). Participants get 2 tickets to Fort Nisqually. They ask that surveys be returned by fax or mail on Monday, October 27.
My humans completed the survey and included off leash areas in the broader responses. Participation by dog park supporters may help us reach our goal of establishing one or more off leash areas in Tacoma and Pierce County.
I hope those of you with access to The News Tribune will have your humans respond to the survey with their own thoughts.
Thank you.
OCTOBER 2003 UPDATE
Three is good and bad news on the Tacoma Dog Park front. The bad news is that the previously approved large city site behind Home Depot on Mullen Street is not available because Metro Parks has been unable to secure the site at a reasonable lease expense.
The good news is that there appears to be genuine support from Metro Parks for moving forward with a local and regional solution. At least 3 staff members have been reviewing options, and we have received recent positive feedback from all of them (two of whom have been known to frequent "unofficial" off leash areas). The ideal solution includes a combination of regional parks with smaller neighborhood parks. While there are no imminent local solutions, Metro Parks appears ready to help the Fort Steilacoom regional dog park become a reality. A group of long-time "unofficial" users of Fort Steilacoom Park has exerted considerable effort in developing recommended solutions with the City of Lakewood.
No, this is not ideal for those of us who live in Tacoma. However, this first step would be a significant one, and we are not aware of any open spaces of similar size available within Metro Parks' jurisdiction.
Interested parties are welcome at the Fort Steilacoom Community Meeting-Tuesday, October 21. There will be a 5:30-7:00 pm Open House, followed by a 7:00pm Public Meeting, Pierce College Fireside Lounge (9401 Farwest Dr. SW, Lakewood). This meeting will be about future plans for all of Fort Steilacoom Park, and off leash areas will be only part of the meeting. Metro Parks representatives will be there, and I'm sure they would appreciate a polite show of support from people who support dog parks. (Click here for meeting announcement.)
One more piece of good news is that the Tacoma City Attorney and City Council acted quickly to correct a 2002 ordinance revision that inadvertently reversed the 2001 Off Leash Ordinance. On September 15, 2003 the Council unanimously reinstated the provisions of the 2001 Law.
When news happens, we will try to update www.TacomaDogPark.com.
Woof!
JULY 2003 UPDATE
Off-Leash Areas offer safe fun recreation for dog owners and their families, help create friendships and a healthy community, and will make Tacoma a better place to live.
Off Leash Areas aren’t about dogs; they are about people. By bringing people together in a way that is socially comfortable, off-leash recreation areas promote healthier communities. For many, off-leash exercise with dogs is a primary form of recreation and about 1/3 of Tacoma’s families have dogs as pets. Strategically located off-leash areas can also serve residents of all neighborhoods by revitalizing existing parks and blighted areas. Despite the documented benefits of dog parks and the clear need for such areas, Tacomans do not have a safe, legal place for recreation with their dogs off-leash. There are over 600 dog parks in the USA. Unlike King County residents, who have at least 9 heavily utilized off-leash areas, dog-owners in Pierce County are not currently served by their park system. I’ve seen how wonderful it is to visit Magnuson and Genessee Park in Seattle and Marymoor Park in Redmond. I would rather spend my money at home instead of the neighborhoods surrounding other cities’ parks.
In 2000 and 2001, Metro Parks and hundreds of citizens made major progress. The City Council unanimously passed an ordinance to permit off leash areas within the city limits. In August 2001 the Metro Parks Board of Commissioners approved a plan submitted by the Off Leash Dog Park Advisory Panel and directed Metro Parks to implement a pilot program.
Budget and staffing constraints have brought the project to an apparent standstill, and now is the time to make your voice heard. First, be a responsible owner and always license and scoop (this is the norm in dog parks across the country, if not on city streets). Second, politely let Metro Parks know of your support (info@tacomaparks.com or on the web at tacomaparks.com) and your willingness to be part of the solution. Third, keep up to date on off leash areas and communicate with a volunteer network at TacomaDogPark.com. Fourth, tell a friend.
Finally, participate in an upcoming survey of Metro Parks’ constituents. As part of its strategic planning process, Metro Parks will randomly select up to 5500 Tacomans for a detailed look at the future of Tacoma’s parks. Among many other things, off leash areas will be addressed. If you are selected, please participate.
Something wonderful was started three years ago. With your help, it won’t fade away.
... Keep reading below for a recap of the past...
1999-2002 TACOMA DOG PARK TIMELINE
Through 1999 – Several groups request off leash areas; ultimately none are established.
Summer 2000 – Metro Parks Tacoma seeks public comment on dog parks at two well-attended public forums.
September 2000 – Metro Parks Tacoma appoints a 15-person citizens advisory panel to work with parks planners. The panel’s mission is to assist Metro Parks Tacoma in creating one or more off leash areas in Tacoma. The panel intends to deliver to the Board of Commissioners a written proposal for the establishment and management of off leash recreational areas that minimize any potential negative impacts, benefit the community as a whole and the meet the legitimate recreational needs of responsible dog owners.
October 2000 to August 2001 – The Panel meets bi-weekly, focusing primarily on site selection, legal issues and communication. Throughout, the panel studies the best practices used in over 600 dog parks around the USA.
January – March 2001 – The panel presents two progress updates to the Board of Commissioners, as well as reports to all eight neighborhood councils. The councils have some control over federal innovative grant funds that are often used for parks improvements. While several councils express interest in hearing more once a site is selected, others feel these parks are for the benefit of animals, not people.
May 2001 – The Panel, after working with attorneys for the City and Metro Parks, proposes ordinance changes making off leash areas legal. The Tacoma City Council passes the ordinance that adds this definition: “’Off Leash Area’ shall mean any area designated by the City or Metropolitan Parks Tacoma within which dogs, under the effective control of the owner or custodian, may be off leash.”
May 2001 – The Panel holds a third public forum and invites representatives of neighboring communities to discuss cooperative efforts on dog parks.
July 2001 – After researching over 30 potential sites and evaluating each on 22 factors, the panel submits its report to the Metro Parks Tacoma Board of Commissioners.
August 2001 – The Board of Commissioners accepts the report and directs Metro Parks Tacoma to move forward. The area between the Center Street Home Depot and the Tacoma City Landfill is targeted as the first pilot site, and work commences on securing, designing and funding the site. This large capped portion of the Landfill has been designated for recreational use, so a dog park fits this otherwise underutilized centrally located area.
February 2002 – Work commences with the Landfill regarding leases, environmental issues and city permitting. Requests for proposal go to landscape architects for Schematic Design & Design Development drawings.
April 2002 – Lansdscape architect retained to prepare drawings necessary for permitting and fundraising.
May 2002 – Pre-application meeting with the City. Discussions Landfill regarding lease.
September 2002 - We are informed there is $80,000 in the capital budget for a dog park. However, site availability and lack of funds for operations during budget cuts is a major issue.