PV dog park -- an update
You may remember our earlier posts -- back in July and September -- about Bruce Megowan's efforts to get an off-leash dog park established on the peninsula.
I got to wondering about all that the other day and sent Megowan (who lives in PVE) an email, asking for an update.
The bad news is there seems to be no real progress.
The good news? Megowan hasn't given up.
He told me he's still building a data base of supporters who might be willing to speak at city
council meetings in Rancho Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates or Rolling Hills Estates to push for a dog park in one of those cities. Finding the right location and property is the biggest hurdle.
So if you're interested and can lend him a hand -- or better yet, your voice -- email him at: bmegowan@cox.net.
I'm always amazed at how hard it is to get a simple dog park in a community. I realize that some things can be harder than they look, but after more than a decade of effort, San Pedro still has just a temporary site -- and now that's been downsized from the original to less than an acre for both large and small dogs. Way too small, just visit the park some weekend afternoon when there are more than 20-30 dogs jammed into the space.
Don't get me wrong. Dog owners have been extremely grateful for the piece of land the Port of Los Angeles agreed to lend temporarily. It's much appreciated and obviously well used. And it's not really the port's responsibility, after all, to provide the community with a dog park (and under state restrictions on port property, they're not even legally allowed to, at least on a permanent basis).
But there's just two more years to go under the port's temporary agreement. And still no real commitment from the city for a permanent (larger) dog park area elsewhere.
A decade. Go figure.
Your government at work. Or not.
I mean really, how hard can this stuff be?
Sorry. I'm feeling rather cranky today.
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About the Bloggers
Daily Breeze reporter Donna Littlejohn has shared her homes with a succession of wonderful, funny, and occasionally difficult canines -- Muffin, Fritz, Ellie, Mercy, Pilgrim and now Cowboy, an Australian shepherd-border collie, and Tess, a border collie. From strong-willed terriers to weirdly obsessed Australian shepherds, they've invaded her world with boundless energy, wet noses, muddy paws and soggy tennis balls. But they've really brought so much more than that -- like laughter and joy, some unexpected life lessons, and more than a few tears along the way.
E-mail Donna at donna.littlejohn@dailybreeze.com.
Josh Grossberg grew up with the usual array of animals: goldfish, dogs, hamsters, parakeets and turtles. He now owns the loudest dog in the South Bay(Video: Rocket the Dog) and is the least popular person on his block. He spends his free time in dog parks, pet shops and always has an extra plastic bag in his pocket just in case. He also has a cat.
E-mail Josh at josh.grossberg@dailybreeze.com.
I realize that finding a suitable property is a problem in areas that are already quite developed, it's not always as easy as it appears. And so often an issue isn't really an "issue" for government until it turns into an all-out crisis (as in when the temporary dog park space expires). Until then, what's the rush, right?
But still ..... :-) Hang in there everyone, it'll happen.
we are with you ! nothing to do with being cranky....it sucks what they do to dog owners....
we are not even going to the dog park anymore instead found alternative solutions at Trump, Whitepoint , Friendship park etc.
We are paying taxes as much or more than other people (with kids) and out Property taxes are being used on OTHER peoples kids schooling ...we should at least be heard on such a simple issue as a dog park !!!