How will the dog park be built?

The dog park would be constructed in phases with the initial phase of construction involving construction of the fencing & gating systems, time out area, a rinse & watering area, installation of screening trees between the dog park & adjacent homes, bulletin board and a digging box. Later phases would replace ground covering as it wears out, add additional shade trees & plantings, and install doggie agility & play equipment.

I like the current look of Playwicki Farm.  Will the dog park change that look and feel?

To maintain a country environment for the area yet maintain the security of the fence line, we recommend a 4 rail slip board fence backed with No-Climb vinyl coated wire at an approximate height of 5 feet with posts on 10 foot centers.  The park will be surrounded on 2 sides with a evergreen screen to help hide the park from its nearest neighbors.

Can we afford a dog park?

Current estimates have the dog park running approximately $12,000 to $17,000 for construction with a large percentage of labor and materials being donated.

I can’t afford any raise in taxes.  How will the dog park be paid for?

The LSACAB recommends paying for the dog park & its maintenance NOT through tax money, but through the following fundraising activities:

·         User fee to fund maintenance – Keep in mind that people pay membership to swim at Dolphin even though it is township property

·         Rent out a portion of the space to dog trainers & animal groups looking for a safe outdoor space to hold classes and doggie get-togethers

·         Sell fundraising pavers & memorial benches

·         State DCNR Grants / Private Foundation Grants

·         Corporate Donations (TD Bank, First National Bank, PetCo)

·         Memorial Benches

·         Auction off artist decorated dog houses (similar to the New Hope mules)

·         Fall “Bark-tober” Fest & Spring Pet Fair to generate funds

·         Sponsorship opportunities from local pet related businesses and organizations

• Donations of products

How safe is it to bring my dog to a dog park?  Won't they get hurt or catch something from the other dogs?

• Through basic sociability requirements, the most basic obedience requirements (like your dog being able to come when called), and monthly orientations the "aggressive" behaviors are largely deterred while in the park.
• According to PA Dog Laws, all dogs in the state of Pennsylvania must be AT MINIMUM vaccinated against rabies, however, your veterinarian should always be made aware that you will be taking your dog to a dog park and may have additional recomendations to prevent your dog from getting ill.
• By enacting a small yearly fee, the LSACAB will be able to ensure that all dogs who have access the dog park are immunized and will institute a rule instructing owners to only bring heathly animals to the park

A friend told me that if this park is built, my property values will drop drastically.  After the recent loss in value my home has taken due to the economy, I cannot afford any loss in value.  Is this true?

The research tends to show us that, generally speaking, the people that attend dog parks are usually registered voters, educated, somewhat affluent people - all demographics which are very attractive to local businesses. Such citizens tend to attract others like themselves to live in the area, continuing the trend to increase revenues to local business and to the tax base.

Example #1: The city of Sierra Madre learned that property values have gone up since their dog park opened. Visitors who have been attracted to Sierra Madre came became of the dog park and have purchased home in the city because of the dog park.

Example #2: In one San Francisco neighborhood, property values rose approximately 900% within five years of the construction of a dog park. That seems ridiculous!  Why?  Because parks increase the livability of a city and provide for a better sense of community - something economists refer to as their hedonistic value. The Hedonistic rule of thumb - the more parks a city has, and the more variety of parks a city has, the higher its property values tend to be.

I understand that dog parks are loud and noisy.  What will you do to curb the noise?

The concern of noise was ever-present in the park design.  The LSACAB designed the park with the following:

·          The main entrance to the dog park, and the area where most of the noise would be centered, is faced toward Playwicki Farm and away from the Sweetwater Development.

·          Erect a buffer of large pine trees to visually shield the park and muffle the barking

·          There is a 25 foot setback for the small dog area and a 65 foot setback for the large dog area.

·          The natural lay of the land places the majority of the dog park down a slope from the homes on Chasemoor Drive and uphill from the homes on Fox Hollow Drive, naturally funneling much of the noise away from the homes.

·          Park hours would be limited from sunrise to sunset 7 days a week

·          Institute a maximum capacity per each section of the dog park to limit the number of dogs that would interact & play, thus limiting noise and reducing safety concerns

 It's my understanding that dog parks are dangerous & that both people, especially children, and dogs are more likely to be attacked and severely injured or killed at a dog park than elsewhere. 

There are absolutely no statistics that bear this out.  In fact, the statistics do show that:

•              In 2008, more than 50% of dog attacks and 78% of the human fatalities due to dog bites were by dogs in their own yard. (Source: Insurance Information Institute, Dog Bite Liability)  So, in fact, dogs are generally more likely to attack and kill while unleashed in their territory (their yard) and are therefore less likely to attack & kill while in a dog park. 

•              The vast majority of biting dogs (77%) belong to the victim's family or a friend, not strangers in a public place.  (Source: Kenneth M. Phillips dogbitelaw.com)

•              When a child less than 4 years old is the victim, the family dog was the attacker half the time (47%), and the attack almost always happened in the family home (90%). (Source: Kenneth M. Phillips dogbitelaw.com)

•              There were 0 fatal dog attacks in PA, NJ, or DE for 2007; 1 in PA, 1 in NJ and 0 in DE for 2008, although the average for the nation was 30 fatal dog bites.  (Sources: Kenneth M. Phillips, Canine Homicides dogbitelaw.com & Merritt Clifton, Dog Attack Deaths and Maimings, US and Canada, September 1982 to November 13, 2006)