Proposed dog park has some residents growling

During public meeting Monday in Whitefish, opponents said facility for canines was not needed

A proposed dog park at Armory Park in Whitefish is drawing criticism from some residents who say the remaining park land should be saved for people, not canines.

The city of Whitefish is developing a master plan for the remaining park land on the east side of the city. It includes softball fields, a soccer field, a dirt-bike track, the new skateboard park and the Roy Duff Memorial Armory community center.

Dog owners had turned out en masse in February for a meeting organized by dog-park advocates Myni Ferguson and Kerrie Byrne. They envision a volunteer group that would work with the city to maintain a dog facility. At a public meeting Monday hosted by the city Parks and Recreation Department, residents were able to look at site plans for Armory Park and provide written comments.

A few residents wanted to talk, however, and city officials granted them the opportunity.

Dick Solberg, who said he wanted to make his case to sway the rest of the audience, questioned the need for a dog park and wondered who would patrol the facility for the inevitable "three Rottweilers versus a Pekingese" conflicts.

"When you think of land use, think of people," he said.

Jill Evans had written a letter to the Whitefish Pilot stating her "vehement opposition" to the dog park.

"This land belongs to the citizens of Whitefish and it is totally unacceptable to not only fence us out of it but further, to use our tax money via the Parks Department for its upkeep and liability issues," Evans said.

She said noise, litter, defecation, property damage, parking and traffic problems were issues to consider.

"We are not a large urban area. We are surrounded by thousands of acres of open land; this park is not needed," Evans said.

Proponents of the dog park want a five-acre fenced area. If park becomes part of the master plan, they intend to raise a minimum of $300,000 to fence and irrigate the dog park and landscape it with trees and buffers of vegetation. The city's contribution would be the land.

But Pete Lev said at Monday's meeting that he'd like the city to maintain what it has at Armory Park before delving into other projects. A longtime softball player, Lev pointed to "major" drainage problems at the park, saying "the bike park is a swamp right now."

Last year, members of the adult softball league petitioned the city to correct the drainage problems, but nothing has been done, Lev said.

Whitefish Parks and Recreation Director Dan Keyes and Bruce Boody, the consultant on the Armory Park master plan, encouraged residents to consider long-term uses for the park instead of dwelling on specific projects.

"The whole idea is to think big picture," Boody said.

Whitefish area residents still have an opportunity to comment on Armory Park by going to the Parks section of the Whitefish Web site, www.whitefish.govoffice.com. Questions will be posted for a couple of weeks.

Keyes said the Park Board likely will hold a public hearing on the master plan in April, with a City Council hearing and subsequent vote on the plan in May.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.