Minnehaha off leash dog park (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A popular stretch of the Minnehaha Off-Leash Dog Park in Minneapolis that has been used for decades but never technically part of the dog park itself, could soon be fenced off to both humans and four-legged companions.
What we know
On Oct. 1, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) approved a resolution that would build a fence around some of the limits of the dog park, segregating it from a stretch of beach where dogs can currently play.
Prior to the vote, board members heard public commentary from nearly two dozen people lamenting the decision both for its overzealous restriction on animal owners, the cost of the fence itself and the approval process being held without a public hearing.
Park Board President Meg Forney and commissioners Steffanie Musich, Becka Thompson, Cathy Abene, Elizabeth Shaffer and Charles Rucker voted ‘yes’ to the proposal following the appeal from testifiers, while commissioners Tom Olsen, Becky Alper and Billy Menz voted against the resolution.
The MPRB intends to work with the National Park Service (NPS) on the construction of the fencing that will cost roughly $70,000 – an NPS grant would cover $55,000 of the project.
A rendering of the current layout of the Minnehaha Off-Leash Dog Park.
Background
Contention from several testifiers believed the board was addressing an issue for a problem that does not exist – cutting off large swaths of land that people have considered part of the dog park for decades.
The park is located in the Minnehaha Regional Park along the Minneapolis side of the river. It’s currently the largest dog park in the city, and the only with waterfront access.
The technical area of the dog park is contained to a 6.6-acre triangular chunk in the southeast corner.
Signs currently protesting new fencing at the Minnehaha Off-Leash Dog Park.
As part of a revitalization process, the dog park’s acreage would legally expand from 6.6 to 17 acres, but the fencing would limit access to areas along the river that people have used for years.
Several testifiers expressed their remorse of potentially losing access to wooded areas in the only dog park in Minneapolis that isn’t currently fenced in.
A Change.org petition to "Save Minnehaha Dog Park" has garnered more than 1,600 signatures since it was created.
However, some owners approve of the fence construction – saying it would more safely help contain their pets from nearby traffic.