Press

May 8th, 2009 - Times Press Recorder

Dogs itching to roam new park

The Five Cities Dog Park is virtually ready for Rover — only the fence was lacking this week — but an opening date has yet to be set.

Cynthia Eklund, president of the Five Cities Dog Park Association, said the green vinyl-coated chain-link fencing had to be special ordered and, as of Tuesday morning, had yet to appear.

“The fence was supposed to arrive at the subcontractor today,” Eklund said. “They said it would take two to three days to install.

“The Mutt Mitts have arrived, the Mutt Mitt dispensers have arrived, the rules signs have arrived — we just need something to attach everything to,” she added.

The off-leash park sits in Elm Street Park where Fair Oaks Avenue meets South Elm Street in Arroyo Grande. The city is providing the land; the association is building and will operate the facility.

Eklund said because park construction moved much faster than expected, no official opening date has been set.

A “leash-cutting ceremony” to officially open the park will have to be coordinated with the city, she noted, although the association hopes to have a “soft opening” first.

Even when the park does open, it won’t be fully complete because the nonprofit organization of dog lovers is still trying to dig up some $8,000 to construct all the amenities.

“We have enough to at least get the park done, but that does not include the kiosk, a sign with the park name and benches,” Eklund said. “Plus we’re doing some landscaping, and we have to pay for that.”

The association also has to pay back a $5,000 loan to SLOPOST, its nonprofit umbrella organization, within six months, she said.

Also known as San Luis Obispo Parks, Open Space and Trails, SLOPOST provided the Five Cities Dog Park Association with the funds to help get the park built.

“We just want to get the park open,” Eklund added. “We’ll add the bells and whistles later.”

Long time coming

South County dog lovers have padded down a long, rocky path to finally flush out a site for the off-leash park after they were chased from an unofficial bark park in Grover Beach.

For several years, dogs and their people roamed free in Costa Bella Park, a grass-covered drainage basin at Oak Park Boulevard and Farroll Road.

But complaints about parking from neighbors prompted the City Council to yank dog owners’ chains by directing the County Division of Animal Services to enforce the leash law there.

At that time, Grover Beach officials said costs and other problems would prevent the city from creating an official dog park at Costa Bella, leaving Five Cities dog owners with no off-leash park closer than the one in Nipomo Community Park.

So a pack of dog owners formed the Dog Park Association and went on the hunt for a new place to play with their pets.

After sniffing out a couple of possible sites, city officials eventually offered Elm Street Park, provided the association would build the facility and serve as its watchdogs.

After the plan was approved, the residents, manager and owner of a two-story apartment complex adjacent to the site howled about the city’s impact assessment, particularly noise, smells, sanitation and parking.

A lawsuit to force Arroyo Grande to conduct a full environmental impact report was rejected by a judge who ruled the city’s mitigation measures were adequate.

However, the city agreed to monitor the park and provide the apartment owner with reports about problems and complaints. The City Council will then review the park’s operation after a year.

Although previously pooh-poohed by Grover Beach, last year the City Council asked the staff to nose around and see if an official dog park could be created at the Costa Bella site.

TO HELP BUILD THE PARK

— Tax-deductible donations for the Five Cities Dog Park Association off-leash park may be sent to P.O. Box 61, Pismo Beach, CA 93448.

— Those who donate $100 or more qualify for a brass plaque on the dog park gazebo and should include a note requesting the plaque.

— For more information, contact Cynthia Eklund, association president, at 473-0323 or visit http://fivecitiesdogpark.org.

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