Woonsocket Council Tables Dog Park Rules and Regs.

WOONSOCKET, RI—The City Council this week tabled a resolution that would have established regulations for a theoretical dog park in the city after a debate about whether it was premature to draft rules for something that isn’t even in the planning stages.

The resolution, which covers everything from park operations to penalties and fines for dog bite incidents, was not meant to put the cart before the horse, said City Councilwoman and sponsor Melissa Murray. Instead, she said, it was merely to lay the groundwork for something that many city residents have asked her to spearhead: finding a place for dog owners to let their pooches get some unleashed exercise in a safe environment.

What the proposed resolution would not do, she said, would add a line item to the budget or designate any specific area as a dog park. She also said that the proposed regulations would help resolve issues related to people who currently let their dogs loose in public parks and don’t clean up the mess often left behind.

“This is a solution to that problem,” she said, noting that there “is a group of 10 people who are always going to be against anything I put my name on.

“Countless people have approached me about wanting a dog park in Woonsocket,” she said. “Maybe they approach me because I’m the animal person but I can’t tell you how many people expressed they’d like to have a place.”

Her remarks were in response to criticism that the city has more important and pressing matters to address, such as its ongoing financial woes, high taxes and looming pension crisis.

Resident John Reynolds Jr., addressing the City Council, said that the city is “in some financial dire straits” and said a dog park idea should be put to the side. He also questioned where the money to set up a dog park would come from.

Another concern raised by City Council Vice President Robert Moreau was about enforcement of the rules and regulations, specifically about how the police and public works departments are mentioned in the resolution for upkeep and enforcement.

While Moreau said he agreed that there are many positive elements to a dog park, the lingering questions indicated that the matter should be the subject of a workshop to have everyone pull a seat up to the same table.

Supporters of the resolution included resident Enoch Valentine, who said that he came to the city from Providence where he enjoyed using public dog parks, not just because his beloved Westie enjoys exercise and being in the presence of other dogs.

“It was positive not only. . .for the animals, but the owners,” Valentine said. “In our section of the city it was one of the places we gathered and learned what was going on in the community. I do miss that opportunity.”

The discussion Tuesday night turned existential when City Councilman Garrett Mancieri, who backed Murray’s resolution, said Woonsocket can’t endlessly stagnate just because of the dark financial clouds overhead.

“We all know taxes are high. It’s not going to be solved overnight. We didn’t get in it overnight and it’s not going to be solved overnight,” Mancieri said. “To say ’never do anything in the city because taxes are high and we have an unfunded pension liability’ doesn’t mean the city ceases to exist.

“We have to do things to make this a community people want to live in,” Mancieri said.

Many residents, especially those with young children, complain about a lack of things to do in the city.

“We’re losing people to other communities,” Mancieri said.

In terms of financing any proposed park, if one is ever proposed, Mancieri said that grants and private donations would most likely foot the bill. The rules and regulations include language authorizing the Parks and Recreation Department to apply for grants and advertise for sponsorships.

“We wanted to at least establish rules and regulations to pursue that,” he said.

A dog park is not a new idea for Rhode Island. So far, parks exist in nine communities with plans in the works for new dog parks in Smithfield and Portsmouth, Mancieri said.

Ultimately, the City Council voted to table the resolution. And dog park hopefuls’ dreams are not fully dashed. Before the vote, Moreau said that he too “doesn’t want to see this die” and pledged that with some effort, “if we all work together we can probably get a great result.”

Voting against tabling the resolution were Councilmen Roger Jalette and Council President Albert Brien.

Voting for were Murray, Mancieri, Moreau and Councilman Daniel M. Gendron.

Councilman Christopher Beauchamp did not attend Tuesday’s meeting.

Some reporting of this meeting was based on audio provided graciously by My Woonsocket.