Press

February 1st, 2006, Five Cities Times Press Recorder
Letters to the Editor

Five Cities should provide parks for man’s best friend

To the Editor:

We need a dog park in the Five Cities area. They are popular and very successful throughout California. They are used and enjoyed by all age groups. Dog owners consistently handle any and all problems that might come up, and they pick up after their dogs.

For the past six or seven years, many local people have used Costa Bella Park at Oak Park Boulevard and Farroll Road in Grover Beach for their “doggie park.” It has worked out great as a dog park. We have heard of no complaints from the local residents during the seven days a week the park has been used.

The Grover Beach City Council has advised that we can no longer use the park unless our dogs are on leashes. They have further advised that they will “cite” anyone with a dog not on a leash.

The park is a “retention basin” with few trees. It certainly wouldn’t be good for a picnic even if they put in a park bench. If this park can’t be used for a dog park, how about a spot in all the other parks in the Five Cities area? There are spaces in parks that are seldom or never used that would be excellent for dog parks.

I have talked to various parks and recreation people, and they have advised they would be in favor of having dog parks.

Santa Maria, Nipomo, San Luis Obispo and Atascadero have dog parks (San Luis Obispo has two) and have operated them successfully for years.

Let’s get with it, Five Cities, and bring a little joy to man’s best friend.

Don Boggess
Arroyo Grande