By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Bowling Green City Council did its best Monday evening to muzzle a rumor about a possible location for a city dog park.
Tim Snyder, a resident of Westwood Drive, spoke to council about the dog park being planned for the city arboretum, located just west of the fire station bordered by Pearl Street and West Wooster Street.
While Snyder isn’t opposed to dog parks, he doesn’t want one in his neighborhood. And a survey of his neighbors showed they share his feelings, he said.
Snyder cited several negatives created by dog parks, including decrease in property values, infringement on quality of life, noise from barking and owners yelling at their dogs, smells from dog poop and pee, killing of grassy area, parasites from dogs, and increase in traffic and trash.
“We are opposed to a dog park in the arboretum,” he told council.
“I never would have bought the home I am living in today if there was a dog park there,” Snyder said.
In addition to talking with homeowners on Pearl and Westwood, Snyder said he also spoke with business owners along West Wooster Street. They also shared concerns held by residential neighbors.
“Putting a dog park in the arboretum would be a gut punch to the adjacent and nearby homeowners and businesses,” he said.
Snyder told council that the city should have been transparent about plans to put a dog park there.
But acting Council President Rachel Phipps said she had no knowledge of such plans. Council member Jeff Dennis said the arboretum was just one site identified in a feasibility study, which included a short list of open areas owned by the city.
“There is no intent to put a dog park in the arboretum that I’m aware of,” Dennis said.
Several dog owners have requested that the city establish a “walkable” dog park. The county dog park, already located in the city limits off East Gypsy Lane Road, must be driven to since it’s on the other side of Interstate 75.
But Snyder said creating a “walkable” dog park will harm a lot of homeowners to benefit the few opposed to driving their dogs to the existing park. He suggested the city work on improving the current dog park, which is only a five-minute drive from the heart of the city.
“It’s not ‘way over there.’ It’s only ‘over there,’” he said. “And it’s over there for good reasons.”
