PV Dog park: Petition drive next up?

A 5th grade student at Cornerstone Elementary School in Rancho Palos Verdes has contacted Bruce and Maureen Megowan with an offer to help establish a dog park in Palos Verdes Estates.

         "We are currently doing a community project called Project Citizen," the student wrote. "I have 15 students in my group and we have decided to research and propose getting a dog park in PVE. ... We called PVE and they told us if we got a petition going of at least 100 names they would consider our proposal. We are currently in the process of collecting these names. ... Here's to all the pooches out there that need socialization, exercise and a good time!!"

The Megowans have been trying to get a fenced-in, off-leash dog park somewhere on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, with the idea that it would serve all four cities on "The Hill" (Rancho Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills Estates, and Rolling Hills).

Their latest idea is for the County of Los Angeles to dedicate several acres of the former Palos Verdes Landfill area between Hawthorne and Crenshaw boulevards, just north of Palos Verdes Drive North.

From Bruce Megowan's reply to the youngster:

I think that it is wonderful that you and your friends are willing to help out getting a dog park built on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. ... We are now trying to get the city managers of the four cities on the Peninsula to use their political muscle to encourage the county to build a dog park due to the tremendous need for one in our area.

The only other locations of a dog park near us are in Redondo Beach (190th and Flagler) and the Knoll Hill area of San Pedro, both at least a 20-minute car trip. The San Pedro dog park is on Port of Los Angeles land on a temporary basis and they have also been unsuccessful in finding a permanent home in San Pedro.

It would be tremendously helpful if you could circulate a petition to construct a dog park on the former Palos Verdes Landfill site. ... I have been building an email database of dog park supporters and getting other supporter emails that will help us get the word out when there are government meetings to attend ... "

At least one person I know has raised questions about the safety of the landfill site as a dog park location. The property has been the subject of a number of articles in the Daily Breeze. Tests have cleared the site as being safe for people uses, but a number of citizens continue to question those findings.

Again, if you would like to pitch in -- or at least stay informed about the progress of the PV dog park effort -- send an email to Bruce at bmegowan@cox.net to get on his list of contacts. And be sure to check with him if you want to help circulate petitions as there are some specific guildelines you'll need to follow.