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“Dog park, yay; Location, nay.”
That was the consensus from both the public and Lexington City Council following a public hearing Thursday for Council to receive feedback on a proposed location for a dog park on a piece of city-owned land between McCorkle Drive and the U.S. 11 bypass.
“It’s a dangerous road,” said Patsy Plogger, who lives at 401 McCorkle Drive, just across from the proposed location. “Dogs have gotten killed, cats have gotten killed, lots of things have gotten killed on that road. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t want nothing like that in front of my house. If anyone here wants it, put it in front of your house.”
“I imagine a dog park as having a lot of trees and being secluded and quiet, not between two busy roads,” said Mike Tolley, who lives a few houses down from Plogger. “It’s a great idea. I just don’t think this is the right location.”
“My understanding is that dog parks are most successful when they take advantage of spaces where people already are,” added Debbie Funkhouser of 625 S. Main St. “My understanding is that the comprehensive plan articulated a goal of creating a healthy, more active [and] walkable city. I don’t think the suggested dog park [location] best promotes that vision.”
Both Tolley and Funkhouser proposed Jordans Point Park and Brewbaker Field as potential sites for a dog park, and Funkhouser also suggested city-owned land behind Waddell Elementary School and potentially partnering with Carilion to put the park near the hospital.
Tara Rodi, director of the Rockbridge SPCA, also pointed out things that would need to be taken into consideration when planning a dog park at any location in the city, including making sure the fences were high enough and that the gates were locked so that dogs couldn’t be abandoned at the park.
Following the public hearing, members of City Council addressed the proposed location – and the idea of a dog park generally – echoing the comments from the public.
Council member Chuck Smith noted that City Council and the Planning Commission had looked into potentially putting a dog park in the city back in 2012, but had struggled to find a suitable location for it.
“There are a lot of boxes you have to check to have a good dog park. One of them is location, and this [location] does not check that box,” he said.
“I think the area needs a dog park. I don’t think the city, at this time, has the place for a dog park,” Council member Charles Aligood said. “I think the proposed location on McCorkle Drive is not a good location. It doesn’t have the walkability feature, there’s too much traffic, all things that have been said and I agree with. I, too, would [not] lend my support to … the dog park in the location that’s proposed.”
“We need to go back to the drawing board on the location,” Council member Nicholas Betts added.
