Would You Like a Dog Park in Loganville?

Some city council members bounced around the idea of putting a dog park in Loganville during the Parks and Events Committee meeting Wednesday (Sept. 18).

The idea was brought forward by Councilwoman Michelle Lynch, who's also the chairwoman of the committee. After wanting a dog park for years, she finally pitched the idea of adding the special area for pups at Gaither Park off Tommy Lee Fuller Road.

She believes if Loganville erected one, it could be a destination park for much of the area and the rest of the county.

"I think people would definitely come. For us to put one here in Loganville and Walton County, it would draw people," she said.

Councilman Mark Kiddoo said he likes the idea of a dog park, but he's not sure if the city can afford it.

"I have several people in my neighborhood ask me why we don't have a dog park somewhere," said Kiddoo, who referred to himself as an "off-and-on dog owner." "Without a little bit more advanced planning so that we can financially set money aside to do something like that, I'm concerned we may be pushing it a little too quickly."

The council and other city officials at the meeting discussed some of the park's possible negatives. They talked about how that area has a stigma associated with it, but Lynch reasoned that a dog park could revitalize it and, once again, bring more people to it.

"I've brought my children to that park before. I felt safe, but I've also been told [to] just be on high alert and be aware of your surroundings. If I had my dog with me..." She trailed off, referring to her large dog she had mentioned earlier in the meeting.

It also was brought up that surrounding residents could complain about the noise.

One of the major concerns, though, is the issue of owners not cleaning up after their pets, which is one of the reasons why some of the area's parks, such as the city's Destination Park and the toddler park near city hall, do not allow dogs.

Lynch mentioned that it had previously been proposed that Gaither be a park for senior citizens with a bocce ball court and similar activities. She spoke with a few residents in Village Place near Gaither, and they said the neighborhood already offers those games such as bocce and shuffleboard.

Of course, if the city decides to develop a senior park instead, the dog park could always be built elsewhere. City staff mentioned there are other properties where the dog park could be located, such as a property near Bob Wood Drive and Zion Wood Road.

Regardless, Councilman Skip Baliles commented on how something needs to be done to Gaither since the playground equipment is not as appealing to kids as the other city parks.

"As the city continues to grow, I believe we're going to need Gaither Park and we need to look at enhancing it if you guys would," he said. "And if the decision's made to look at a dog park, let's have a new development for that. Because our population is growing to a point where two parks are not going to be sufficient very shortly."

Lynch plans to gather more details on insurance liability, state regulations and other concerning topics before their next meeting.

What do you think about a dog park in the city of Loganville? Tell us in the comments.