BOULDER CITY – One thing is certain about residents of Boulder City: we love our pets! Reviews.com, a consumer advocacy organization, ranked Boulder City 39th out of the 567 cities it studied for available dog-friendly activities and 60th overall in 2019. Letting dogs run and play is important for the health of the pet and the owner. Animal Control and Police regularly report injuries to humans and even deadly attacks between dogs off-leash. The City ordinance regarding animals-at-large is currently too vague for proper enforcement. Residents concerned about the suggested leash law changes worry that they won’t have a place where dogs can run and play.
The goal of City Council and Staff is to satisfy the need for pets to get exercise - safely - without disrupting ongoing activities and understanding limitations due to the historic drought. The City is in the process of implementing a turf removal program to cut down on irrigation; planting new grass is not a sustainable option. Council has approved more than $70,000 in funding from the American Rescue Act Plan to be used towards the park, but the big question is where should the park be located. Now, we want input from the community on a parcel that could be used.
The City is currently considering a .81 acre parcel of grass at Veteran's Memorial Park (see photo below). While the area would need to be fenced in, it already has grass and is not being utilized by any groups at this time. "It's important the City seeks input from the community as this park is their park,” said Taylour Tedder, City Manager. “It's important residents have the opportunity to share their feelings related to the size, appropriate location and amenities they want to see in the park."
The City has launched a survey and webpage to view the proposed area at www.bcnv.org/dogpark. The page also has a five-minute survey to gauge interest in the park, how often it would be used and what amenities residents would like to have with the location. The survey will be open until August 14, with the results to be presented to the Parks and Recreation Commission at their next meeting. Council will receive the results and recommendations in September.
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