By Lisa Carolin
Efforts to build a dog park in Chelsea are alive and well and advocates are participating in the First Annual Community Dog Walk this Saturday, Aug. 8.
Natalie McKenney is one of the volunteers behind the walk, which will last from 10-11 a.m. and begin and end at Veterans Park.
“It is a simple event,” she says. “We’ll meet at Veterans Park (Sibley Road,) walk our dogs through town, and end back at Veterans Park. We hope to make quite the statement with all of our dogs and owners parading through town.”
Chelsea Animal Hospital will provide water, and Wags to Wiskers will provide free dog treats.
McKenney says that the feedback volunteers have collected has been overwhelmingly positive about creating a dog park.
Multiple sites for a possible dog park have been discussed for several years.
“The possible Chelsea Bark Park is still under review and there is discussion within the Parks and Recreation committee,” says McKenney. “The front runner (for a site) is behind the Water Treatment Plant on McKinley. This is an ideal location, offering more than an acre of land, fencing and access to water.”
She says that supporters of a dog park believe that it is a great way to get exercise and meet like-minded people. She says it will bring new people into Chelsea, which would benefit local businesses.
Those who oppose a dog park cite such reasons as noise, liability, and the passage of diseases.
“The hope is to offer and/or require temperament testing to park members to ensure owner and pet safety,” says McKenney. “Dogs will have to be registered and licensed through the city, which in turn will bring in revenue to maintain the park.”
McKenney encourages people to take the survey and submit comments here.
