Infignos Media - Anniston AL dog park is on the horizon

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Anniston AL dog park is on the horizon

Friday, July 11, 2014

The residents of Anniston, Alabama and the surrounding area will most likely be blessed with a dog park sometime in the not too distant future. The organizing committee, which is led by Ward 4 Council Person Millie Harris, met for the second time this morning to discuss plans for a park within the city limits.

On today's agenda was a trip report from newly elected Family Court Judge Peggy Miller and Wendy Lewis. Yesterday the duo visited dog parks in Alabaster, Bessemer, and Hoover. They reported the pros and cons of each facility and were very pleased that the parks appeared to be well used. They expect to receive more financial details plus an annual dog park operating budget from Hoover. Anniston City Manager Brian Johnson and Parks and Recreation Director Steven Folks were also in attendance for part of the meeting. They were concerned about the cost of maintaining the park, which should also be supported by volunteers.

The second topic involved possible site selection. Two possible alternatives include integrating the park with the Coldwater Bike Trail project just off of Alabama Highway 202 in the vicinity of Legard Avenue and Clydesdale Avenue or at Michael Tucker Park in Lenlock. Apparently the city favors co-locating the dog park with another area attraction. The Lenlock location would be right at the beginning of the Chief Ladiga Trail. It appears that the Coldwater location is currently favored as it meets Mayor Vaughn Stewart's goal of increasing downtown area traffic. That location is also in the vicinity of the Clydesdale Avenue industrial and commercial area, which is favorably discussed in the newly adopted West Anniston Economic Development Plan.

Many cities around the country are including dog parks in their parks and recreation systems. A dog park is a fenced area normally one acre in size where dogs can run free and interact with other dogs. Most parks have a double-gate entrance and separate large and small dogs into two different areas. A weight of 40 pounds is the typical dividing line between the two size classes.

While there are differing opinions regarding the economic value of dog parks, many see them as a quality of life issue. Frequently we have heard statistics such as 70% of Anniston's citizens own one or more dogs. Committee member Margaret Hatley reported that there are over 26,000 pet dogs in Calhoun County. Thus a vast majority of our citizens are very concerned about the welfare and happiness of their pets and would like this additional opportunity to interact with them and other like-minded dog owners. And, regarding the economic aspect, committee member Wendy Lewis pointed out that often cities locate their parks in remote locations. This will not happen in Anniston's case if the current thinking continues. Both proposed sites are convenient to fast food and sit down restaurants and retail areas. Therefore, our dog park should increase retail sales and sales tax revenue from locals and out of town visitors.

Nevertheless, there are some people in other areas who object to dog parks due to possible noise from barking or feared sanitation issues. Again, these will not be factors with the two proposed Anniston locations. The other concern is liability due to damage done to other dogs and humans should a vicious dog be allowed into the park. Research of other dog parks and evidence from yesterday's site visits indicate that this is not a significant concern. Like existing parks, ours will have clearly posted rules regarding canine and owners' responsibilities.

The general feeling from today's meeting was not whether Anniston was going to get a dog park. Rather, the discussion primarily concerned how to work out the details. Several sources of funding were also discussed to include grants that are regularly given for this purpose by major dog food and supplies companies.

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Keywords: dog park, Anniston AL, Millie Harris, Pipers Playhouse, City of Anniston, PARD

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