That was the line on one of the many e-mails I’ve been getting about dogs off-leash in Cheesman. They seem to be pretty evenly divided, but I’m not counting because the issue won’t be resolved by e-mail contests. I do read them, think about them, and try to respond. Here are my responses to the basic questions:
Should people be ticketed for off-leash dogs? And alternatively, is there enough enforcement?
Many of you want more tickets and higher fines. Others argue that off-leash tickets should be a much lower priority than tickets for not picking up after dogs and for barking dogs. I don’t support prioritizing our laws. Environmental Health is considering increasing fines, particularly for second and third off-leash offenses. If you would like to attend the public hearing before the Board of Environmental Health, please click here to view meeting dates, times and locations.
Animal Control and the Park Rangers are stepping up enforcement and giving more tickets. They have issued 139 citations in Cheesman Park this year and will be continuing to enforce as much as possible. With all the calls for service in Capitol Hill, the police cannot devote enough resources to off-leash dogs to solve the problems, although they do ticket when they can and also do drug stings in the park.
What’s the problem with off-leash dogs in the park? What can we do about the deterioration of the turf?
While many of you object to behavior that is not in keeping with responsible dog ownership and that threatens the safety, health, and enjoyment of other park users as well as the destruction of turf, many dog owners say they are responsible and are equally put out with irresponsible dog owners. Some people say they have been chased, barked at or felt threatened; others say the dogs don’t hurt anyone.
What I do know is that there was a large bare spot in the north meadow of Cheesman Park. The Parks District Superintendent had his staff reseeding parts of Cheesman the first week in April. They also had to fence off the area in the north meadow and placed signs in many of the newly seeded areas requesting park users to recreate in other areas of the park. Obviously, there’s a cost to the intense wear and tear on the Park.
Will Cheesman be a Dog Park? Can there be off-leash hours for dogs in Cheesman?
About six years ago the Parks and Recreation Department conducted a dog off-leash pilot program. The Manager at that time decided Cheesman would not have off-leash dog hours or an off-leash dog area. The Department is now embarking on a Dog Park Master Plan. If you have not yet taken their survey or read about their plan, please click here. I will not preclude the outcome of that public process by taking a position at this time. I have been looking for a good, alternative off-leash area in District 10 for six years to no avail, but I’m not giving up hope on that front. In the meantime, I remain an advocate for Cheesman Park as a well-maintained, clean, safe and beautiful park.
Here’s what we’ve accomplished together so far:
- The Cheesman Park Master Plan was approved in 2008.
- As a result of the plan, we had two auto-free Sundays last year.
- summer the first Sunday of each month from May to September the park will be closed to cars.
- The Denver Children’s Museum and the Cheesman Park Advocacy Group (CPAG) are co-sponsoring “One Book, One Sunday” - a children’s reading and activity session -on the first Sunday of each month
- This summer CPAG will host the 3rd Annual Children’s Fourth of July parade.
- We will also host the third annual Movie in the Park night and the fourth annual Symphony in the Park night this summer and the annual Municipal Band concert
- CPAG created an Adopt-a-Sprinkler program to give the park district plenty of replacements for broken sprinkler heads
- The City through the 2007 bond issue is investing nearly $2 million in a new irrigation system to be installed this fall and nearly $1 million dollars in upgraded trails and raised pedestrian crossings.
- Parks and Recreation has submitted a grant request to the Colorado Historical Fund to match city bond dollars for renovation and repair of the Cheesman Pavilion
Click on the organization title to read statements by Parks and Recreation, the Mayor’s Office, and Commander Dilley of the District 6 Police Department regarding this process.