Eureka Springs is touted as being a dog-friendly place, nationally recognized twice as one of the top five dog-friendly cities in the U.S.!
Our dog park is in town. Anyone going to the dog park can walk there. With tourism a top priority for the Eureka business community, the city should consider an important question: What does our city have to offer?
An important part of the answer to that puzzle involves the quality of life here. The dog park contributes to the cultural amenities that appeal to tourists and families.
I have been told by owners of overnight lodging who allow pets that those rooms rent before rooms that don’t allow pets. Many overnight lodging establishments have names of people who will walk a guest’s dog, or take their dog to the park while the owners go out to eat and explore Eureka.
When you are out and about, pay attention to how many people have their dogs with them. Many folks in town for the trails bring their dogs.
Recent studies show that over a third of all U.S. households have canine family members. Communities across the nation recognize the need for a safe space for dogs to socialize and exercise without the restraint of a leash. Dog parks offer a range of benefits, and research shows tourists and residents are seeking outdoor recreational opportunities such as dog parks and trail systems more than ever.
Knowing the importance of having a dog park, a volunteer committee of Eureka citizens was formed in September 2012 to find a way and money to build the dog park. They broke ground in March 2014, and the dog park opened July14, 2014, almost five years ago. The committee raised $22,000 from donations and fundraisers. An investment was made with money and sweat equity for the good of dogs and the community. The dog park is advertised in dog magazines and has gotten good reviews on social media.
Today the dog park is neglected and in disrepair and not the shining star it was three years ago. It is no longer a quality place. It is an important park for our city but has deteriorated from lack of care, including:
- Lack of landscape maintenance
- Years of dead leaves piled up around the fence line. The leaves are a great home for ticks and other bugs
- Tick infestation. When a dog plays in the leaves it gets covered in ticks. Most dogs use some type of flea and tick prevention, yet ticks cover the dog and then get on the owners. After leaving the park one day my dog had ticks between his paws and in his ears and I was covered in ticks when I got into the car. One day a couple and their dog visited the Park. They had moved to the Rogers/Bentonville area from another state and had heard about our park, so they drove over for lunch and to let their dog visit the park. They were leaving as I was walking into the park and I asked if they enjoyed the park. They said they were disappointed because they’d gotten ticks on them and the park was not cleaned up.
- Pathway maintenance. Walking is difficult because no gravel or mulch has been put down in more than three years. Because of so much shade, the pathway remains muddy for long periods of time. Standing water attracts mosquitos. Gravel or mulch would help this problem.
When the park was built, Director Bruce Levine had gravel and mulch put down. His successor had gravel and mulch put down on top of the original and the parks crew took care of the park beautifully. I mentioned this to a park commissioner and the reply was, “She did that on her own.” No, she did it as the interim director of parks. No mulch or gravel has been put down for more than three years. The tree roots coming up out of the ground make walking treacherous. A lady used to come to the park daily with her dog. She uses a walking cane. She stopped coming because the ground is uneven with tree roots and big rocks that make walking dangerous.
- Gate perimeter security. The gate on the upper level behind the big dog park is broken and has been for more than three years, the gate on the road between the playground and the dog park. The gate is a very large maintenance gate. One of these days a child or dog is going to get caught in the gate opening or a dog escape. Yes, calls and letters have been sent to the Parks director and the gate has never been fixed. It’s dangerous the way it is.
- Annual maintenance plan.
To my knowledge there is no yearly maintenance plan for the park, and it shows. Mowing it every two weeks and getting the trash out is not a yearly maintenance plan. The current director told me he was waiting on equipment to clean up the park. When that didn’t happen, I sent him an email saying he didn’t need any equipment but rakes. I also suggested if cleaning up the dog park was beyond the ability of his department, hire it done. The dog park used to be visited by many yet due to the condition of the park many have stopped going because the park is unsafe and unhealthy.
So I ask, “Why in the world have you allowed the dog park to deteriorate under your non-watchful eye from the director’s office which is just around the corner from the dog park?”
The city and the community made an investment in the dog park and for Parks and Recreation to discard that investment is offensive.
Out of sight, out of mind isn’t acceptable in a small community like Eureka. It’s obvious that Parks and Recreation has not spent any time maintaining the park in the last few years. Today the dog park is unsafe and unhealthy.
There is not one acceptable excuse as to why the dog park is in the shape it is and for sure no excuse why it hasn’t been cleaned up. I know for a fact that letters and emails have been written and calls made complaining about the condition of the dog park and all were ignored. I ask that the dog park be cleaned up and made safe and usable for dogs and humans.
Some in town believe there are those who want the park closed and that is the reason the park is being neglected and allowed to deteriorate. Is this true?
The dog park is a city park just like Lake Leatherwood, Basin Spring Park and the other parks. The Parks and Recreation Commission is responsible for the maintenance of all city parks. That includes the dog park.
Get it cleaned up and safe again with a maintenance plan or close the dog park? That is the question the Eureka Springs Parks and Recreation Commission should answer.
Linda McBride