For the past 14 years I have been volunteering at the Doctors House Museum, as assistant director and currently, curator. I visit the museum or the library nearly every day at different times, and usually cross the two baseball fields on my way up the road.
Particularly in the mornings, there are many dog owners exercising their dogs between the two baseball fields. Nearly all dogs are on leash, friendly and obeying their owner’s commands. This is quite different from most other dog parks I have visited where owners let their dogs run loose while the owners tend to personal items such as checking their cell phones or chatting with other owners. Very quickly these “other” dog parks become hard-packed dirt areas that kick up dust and have frequent dog fight incidents because they are not being monitored by their owners. Oh, and the constant barking!
I’m not saying there should not be a dog park in Brand Park, but it should not be in the currently proposed area where neighbors on the other side of the fence will be exposed to constant noise and disruption. That area is constantly used by picknickers, group gatherings and youth athletic groups who can’t use the larger fields. The ideal place for a dog park is the picnic space behind the Brand Library that is accessed by a small road ending in a cul-de-sac. A dog park should be away from the Tea House, the Doctors House, and other wedding and event sites.
Peter J. Rusch
Glendale
First published in the September 23 print issue of the Glendale News-Press.
