Dog park plan in limbo

Without so much as a bark, a tussle is brewing over whether or not Iola will see an off-leash paw park on flood lands in the south part of town.
One neighbor, Howard Ross, is against it, and brought a petition to Iola city commissioners Sept. 22 proclaiming his position.
Another group of Iolans, though, has been working since summer to make the park a reality. Until recently, the city of Iola and Thrive Allen Counnty seemed to be on board as well.
Dog parks are not a new concept. There are nine listed in Kansas on the Web site, dogfriendly.com.
They range in size from one acre in Manhattan to 30 acres in Lawrence. Most are seven acres or more.
Iola’s paw park is proposed to be 1.5 acres at the very south end of Washington street, on land acquired by the city through the Federal Emergency Management Agency process after the flood of 2007. There is one house remaining across the street from the park that is scheduled to be torn down, Ross said.
Off-leash parks have gained popularity throughout the country as a means for pet owners and their companion animals to socialize in a more natural setting. Supporters say that when dogs meet off leash in neutral territory, aggression is reduced. And when busy people come together over a common interest, friendships are promoted, benefiting mental health, studies show.
Typically, dog parks are open for use, like other parks, from dawn to dusk. They are self-patrolled by users, much as playgrounds are monitored by parents of children using them.
The parks are fenced and owners must be present with their dogs.
Dogs that are aggressive towards other dogs or people are not allowed. In most parks, owners are legally responsible for any problems caused by their dogs.
Dogs in heat and young puppies (typically those four months and younger) are not allowed. Dogs must be current on vaccines. To curb potential conflicts, food stuffs are discouraged as well.
And yes, dog owners must pack plastic bags to remove feces. The city had agreed to provide, and empty, trash cans to contain the waste.
Although a dozen people including Ross signed his petition against the park, not all south side neighbors are against the plan.
Wilma Krokstrom has been actively pursuing the park concept since summer. She already walks her dog in the neighborhood, and found the proposed sight to be ideal.
It has trees, shade and is off the beaten path, she noted. It abuts a dead-end street so through traffic is not a consideration. And, because of the flood, there are no neighbors immediately adjacent to the park.
It seemed so certain a location that local civil engineering firm Shafer, Klein and Warren drew up — at no cost to the city — a conceptual site sketch including fences, paths and benches for the park.
In fact, Krokstrom said, most neighbors she talks to while out walking also favor the idea. Until Ross spoke to commissioners, though, she had not considered collecting those names on a petition. Now, she is doing so.
There could be yet another bug in the bonnet. Also at the Sept. 22 commission meeting, the city opted to pay Landworks Studio of Olathe $25,000 to develop a master “vision” for city land. Another $50,000 for that plan is coming from the Kansas Health Foundation, Thrive Allen County Executive Director David Toland, who pushed for the plan, said.
“Vision Iola will include parks and recreation, trails, the downtown area and signage,” Toland said. “The Vision Iola plan will consider all city-owned lands, including FEMA buyout lands.” That includes the paw park site, Toland said.
Citizen-proposed uses for other city properties include community gardens, an arboretum and ball fields, he said. All those ideas, too, may have to wait until the Olathe company does its work, which will not be until summer of 2010, said Toland.
The city has already decided to construct new multi-purpose recreation fields targeting the soccer community on flood lands adjacent to Riverside Park, City Administrator Judy Brigham said previously. The question now is if the city will go on record as selecting the Washington Street site for the paw park, or choose to wait for the Vision Iola plan to be completed.
Toland said Thrive will hold a meeting on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the meeting room of Communtiy National Bank. He hopes to discourage proponents from considering the park until the Vision Iola plan is complete, he said.
Nonetheless, supporters continue to collect signatures, and plan to pack the meeting. They intend to take their request to city commissioners soon.