WESTBROOK — The dog park at Bicentennial Park on the corner of William Clarke Drive and Hannaford Drive has been open nearly a year and a half, but a new effort could, in time, lead to a larger venue.

Westbrook resident Mike Lahr started an online petition to drum up support to enlarge the dog park and had intended to take his effort to the City Council next week, but he nixed the petition and his appearance at the council after speaking with Councilor Victor Chau.

“He is willing to work with me, and a group of citizens who are dedicated to the park, to further utilize the Idexx funds. I will not be attending the City Council meeting as there is no need for a petition at this point,” Lahr said. “I will try to contact members of the community who have interest in the park and hopefully further develop the park in the near future.”

A larger facility had been designed and was funded through a donation from Idexx, but that plan was rejected by the council two years ago.

The existing 4,500-square-foot dog park, available dawn to dusk, opened in May 2017.  It is a fenced-in plot with a bench in one corner, a trash can and a supply of poop bags. It is located next to Hannaford Supermarket and in front of the city skateboard park.

Courtney Stiles has been a frequent visitor to the park since she moved to the city last month.

“I really like to come here with my dogs. Walking them is good exercise, but it isn’t as good as having them run and fetch and play,” she said Saturday, Sept. 1, during a visit to the park with Blue, her 9-month old shepherd/husky mix.

While the offers plenty of room for Stiles and her two dogs, what exists now was part of a much larger vision, one that failed to get the council’s approval. After hearing that the original fenced-in area was too small, city officials went back to the table to work out a plan for an enlarged structure, complete with trash bins, seating and new landscaping and worked out an agreement with Idexx, which would foot the $28,000 cost.

“In response to the desire of having a dog park built, we constructed a small park. We had a much bigger one designed and 100 percent funded by Idexx, but it was turned down by the City Council,” City Administrator Jerre Bryant said.

The bigger park, he said, was four times the size of what is there now and had dedicated spaces for small dogs and larger dogs.

“Idexx is pleased to partner with the city on the creation of a dog park for the local community,” said Peter DeWitt, director of communications and community relations, told the American Journal in September 2016. “Our intent is to provide funding in the amount of $25,000 in early 2017 to support this important effort. We look forward to the next steps and hope it will be well received.”

At its Oct. 3, 2016, meeting, the City Council  reversed course and rejected the dog park plan by a 4-3 vote, even though it had passed at first reading just weeks prior.

The opposition to the park plans at that time was led by Councilor John O’Hara,  who argued the city should wait and evaluate the best possible use of the property – possibly creating a destination dog park using more of the city-owned land and a variety of terrain.

“It’s just the wrong design,” O’Hara he said at the 2016 meeting. “We need to take a step back and take a look at what other communities have done. When we create something, we do it once and do it right.”

The design of the expanded dog park was opposed by O’Hara, councilors Brendan Rielly, Gary Rairdon and then-councilor Mike Sanphy. It had passed unanimously at first reading in September.  O’Hara argued at first reading that too few dog owners had been asked about what they’d like to see in a park, and Rairdon had said he’d rather wait and “build something the community can be proud of.” Then-Councilor Michael Foley said at that meeting that rejecting the project would be “bureaucracy impeding progress.”

With the larger vision stalled, the existing dog park was padlocked until May 2017. 

Bryant said the Bicentennial Park location was chosen because it was centrally located, had ample available parking and not in any residential neighborhoods.

Where Lahr’s effort goes from here is unknown. If a renewed interest in the dog park in launched through this effort, Bryant said the old plans could be dusted off and review again.

“I am not trying to solve the problem anymore. I already did once. The need, location and funding issues were all solved,” he said.

Michael Kelley can be reached at 781-3661 x 125 or mkelley@keepmecurrent.com or on Twitter @mkelleynews

Courtney Stiles finds the Westbrook dog park a good place to exercise her dog, Blue. There is an effort underway to enlarge and improve the facility, which opened May 2017.

Copy the Story Link