By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Harrigan the Old English Sheepdog sat patiently at a public forum Wednesday where Bowling Green dog owners were urged to dream big on his behalf.
Why should Bowling Green have city dog parks? What amenities should the parks have for dogs and their humans? What stands in the way of this happening?
City Council member Jeff Dennis noted the unusual makeup of the people attending the public forum. As someone who goes to a lot of public meetings, he noticed the number of young city residents present.
“The average age is younger than any public meeting I’ve been to,” Dennis said. That speaks to the target demographic for the city – young families, he added. “That’s the best way to drive economic growth for Bowling Green.”
Dennis talked about the popularity of dog parks in communities.
“The measure of success of our public amenities is how frequently they are used,” he said.
Dr. Wendy Manning agreed that dog parks can help attract young families to the city.
“These are the kind of things families are looking for when they move,” she said.
Wednesday’s public forum was led by BGSU professor Dr. Shannon Orr, who explained that the results of this and other upcoming forums will be used to inform a feasibility study being conducted by her graduate students in BGSU’s Masters of Public Administration program.
Orr asked those present at the forum why Bowling Green should consider creating city dog parks.
Raul Ascunce shared that he and his wife, Jo, adopted their dog, Charlie, during the COVID shutdown. Visits to dog parks provided valuable socialization time for their dog and themselves.
“We met people from all walks of life that we wouldn’t have met any other way,” he said. “Dog parks can really help build a sense of community.”
Another resident listed off the dog parks in other cities that he has visited. He walks his dog every morning at City Park, but would like to have a place to let his dog go leash free.
“The need is huge. It’s just that we haven’t recognized it and dealt with it,” he said.
Susan Kramer also commented on the potential dog park patrons in Bowling Green.
“The number of people who live in our community, who have dogs – that’s an enormous amount of people,” she said. “It touches everybody.”
A new resident to Bowling Green said she would like to have a place for her dogs to exercise.
“I would love to take my dogs somewhere and let them run off-leash,” she said.
Questions were raised about the existing dog park in city limits, located next to the Wood County Dog Shelter at the county complex on East Gypsy Lane Road. Dog owners listed off items they see as deficiencies – it’s located in “no man’s land” where it isn’t walkable from any neighborhoods, there is no shade, no restrooms, so remote that some people feel unsafe there in evenings, it’s “sterile” and “the whole vibe is wrong.”
“If you go out there on a 90 degree day, there is no relief from the sun,” Ascunce said.
Orr asked those present to list off challenges to creating dog parks in Bowling Green. Among the roadblocks discussed were funding for construction and maintenance, risks of injuries to dogs and humans, exposure to fleas and ticks, and problems for neighbors.
Another big challenge is where to put a dog park or multiple parks. Jenny Swope said reapportioning existing park land for a dog park could cause other problems. “To create dog parks you have to shove aside someone else’s use of that,” she said.
Ascunce responded that park property is often changed to meet new needs.
“The parks do that all the time,” he said, mentioning the proposed pickleball courts by the community center and the skatepark in City Park. “These things were not there originally.”
The location will be a huge issue, Ascunce said. “The usage of a dog park is dependent on the proximity of the residents.”
Orr asked the group to think big and list the amenities they would like to see in a dog park. So dog owners tossed out ideas like drinking fountains for pups and people, shade, equipment for dogs to play on, separate areas for different sizes of dogs, free access to the public, signage explaining park rules, doggie bags and trash cans, pathway around the park for people to exercise the same time as their dogs, attractive fencing so it’s better received by the neighborhood, double gates for securing dogs, lighting, parking, wheelchair accessibility, hose station to clean muddy dogs, variety of surfaces, benches and picnic tables, shelterhouse, pet-safe landscaping, and a pond.
The group also discussed possible policies for a city dog park, such as requiring dogs to be vaccinated and licensed, requiring owners to clean up after them, and posted guidelines on how to handle aggressive dogs.
The forum was sponsored by the Citizens for BG Dog Parks Committee in cooperation with the City of Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department. More information can be found at BG Dog Parks or on their Facebook page.
