Does Newton Need Additional Off-Leash Options?

A group of Newton residents is exploring the creation of more places where Fido can frolic freely.

Currently, Newton has seven sanctioned off-leash areas:

- Old Cold Spring Park (Newton Highlands)
- Newton Centre Playground (Newton Centre)
- Hunnewell Park (Newton Corner)
- Braceland Playground (Upper Falls)
- Cabot Park (Newtonville)
- Claflin Playground (Newtonville)
- McGrath Park (West Newton)

The proposed new areas include: Forte Park (Nonantum), Edmand's Park (Newtonville), Thompsonville Playground (Thompsonville), and an area at Newton South High School off Brandeis Road (Newton Centre). According to NewtonConservators.org, all four proposed locations were among the 24 possible sites originally proposed by the Off-Leash Area Working Group (OLAWG) in 2010.

Forte Park and Weeks Park have been proposed in the past as off-leash areas, but Newton Girls Soccer and Newton Youth Soccer objected to turning the soccer fields there into off-leash areas, and the public hearing related to those sites was indefinitely postponed in May 2012, according to Village 14.

While Weeks Park is not being proposed at this time, the proposal for Forte Park suggests limiting its off-leash access only to winter months. According to OLAWG minutes from its May 31 meeting, the Newton Youth Soccer League has been contacted. Those same minutes indicate that the Newton Youth Soccer League is supportive of developing Thompsonville Playground as an off-leash area.

Additionally, an essay posted on the Edmand's Park website urges that "legal issues" be carefully considered before naming the park a new off-leash area.

Minutes from the OLAWG meeting on June 14 indicate the working group intends to meet with stakeholders during the summer and prior to any public hearing on the new off-leash areas.

We want to know what you think? Are you in favor of some additional off-leash areas? If so, where? What has been your experience with off-leash areas in Newton?