Is Lakewood ready for a dog park?
Lakewood resident Carl Scofield is doing everything within his power to get the message out to the community that it’s time for a dog park in Lakewood.
Mr. Scofield has lived in Lakewood for all of his 56 years. He has 3 children and 8 grandchildren whom all live in Lakewood. He wants to make a request of the city to consider giving its residents and their four- legged furry friends a park to run and play in.
As it stands now dogs are prohibited in all of Lakewood parks. The city’s stance is they have looked into this issue from lots of perspectives, and the city council is still trying to find the right combination of location and cost to make a Lakewood dog park possible.
Scofield has offered some options of open areas for a dog park that he feels would be suitable. The problem is, sites at city parks and in open space areas that have been suggested locations all have serious drawbacks - the city doesn't own the land, the Edison Company won't lease the land for this purpose, the site is too close to homes, the site is a park for people already, etc. Another difficult problem to solve is finding a funding source so that existing recreation programs won’t be cut.
Even if a piece of land could be designated for this purpose, the cost is a huge obstacle… a dog park would cost the city more than $600,000 for site improvements, landscaping, fencing, signage, and operation. At a time when many cities have laid off employees and eliminated park programs for kids and teens, it would be hard for Lakewood to invest $600,000 in a dog park, particularly when there are dog parks nearby in Long Beach and other cities.
Carl does agree with the cities’ position but says, “We want a slice of the recreational pie.” He believes that there are venues for a dog park, and the cost would not be that high. To offset any associated costs he suggests permit parking or metered parking. A Lakewood resident would need to purchase an annual permit to attend the park. He also suggests dog owners would have to be aware of dog etiquette, and a dog obedience class may be required to obtain the permit.
The city is very concerned about what the fiscal situation will be in the coming fiscal year and until they do, dedicating a new park is out of the question.
Scofield and about 110 of his supporters are hoping that persistence pays off. They do not want to be passed off to other cities and overpower their resources.
“A dog park is a good idea,” said Donald Waldie, assistant to the City Manager. City council members agree. But how to fit a dog park into the city’s existing recreation programs… and pay for it without cutting existing recreation programs… are questions yet to be answered.”
