City focus

Bryce Alderton

Pooches that run free in Huntington Beach’s Dog Park may soon be

running in another spot.

City Council voted unanimously Monday night to have city staff begin

researching how much it would cost to relocate the Best Friend’s Dog Park

from its current location on Edwards Street near Talbert Avenue to a

grassy sloped area of Central Park on Gothard Street.

The idea came from Councilwoman Debbie Cook in an effort to appease

Dog Park users’ frustration over recently reduced park hours and nearby

residents frustrations at the noise coming from the park.

The City Council reduced the hours of the park last month restricting

the times owners could bring their dogs to 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays,

and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

This decision came after complaints from park neighbors saying the

barking was intolerable.

“We wanted a location that gets away from residential areas, one that

would be a permanent site, and one that would save the city money because

it wouldn’t have to develop a new area,” Cook said.

The proposed site off Gothard Street consists currently of a parking

lot, trees and a grassy area, and is nearly the size of the current Dog

Park, said Ron Hagan, director of community services for the city.

Hagan hopes to bring a recommendation before the City Council in

March.

Council’s decision pleased Huntington Beach resident Sherrey

Hollander, who lives with her husband Bart and their two daughters near

the current Dog Park.

“I couldn’t be happier, it’s what we’ve been wanting,” Hollander said

of the relocation.

The Hollanders have lived in their house on Edwards Street, across

from the park, for 15 years -- long before Dog Park went in.

Hollander has voiced her displeasure with barking coming from the park

at City Council meetings and has written letters.

She said the new park hours have not eased the amount of barking she

hears daily.

“I have an office in the house and people still gather with their dogs

and it’s constant barking,” Hollander said. “[Our family] loves dogs

though, that’s never been the issue. If my daughters could have their

way, we’d have 50 dogs.”

A new location will hopefully enable more dog owners to enjoy the park

before and after work, said Laura Garay who chairs the Board for the Dog

Park Foundation.

“I used to go to the park everyday before work, but now it’s not

possible,” she said. “The hours are so limited right now and not

convenient to take them before or after work.”

Fund-raising for the relocation will be the foundation’s next goal.

“We’re going to do everything we can to make this work,” she said.

Last year the foundation raised $600 for park improvements.

“So far we have about $130 from this year’s campaign,” Garay said.Glen

Griffith sympathizes with dog owners that work and have trouble taking

their dogs to the park with the new hours.

“I have the luxury of coming here midday, but most people with normal

jobs couldn’t do that,” he said.

Griffith funded the planting of a tree in the name of his German

Shepherd mix, Angel, to help raise funds for Dog Park when it first

opened.

He’s concerned the time and money people have given to beautify the

park will be wasted.

“They would have to start over,” Griffith said of the many trees

planted and plaques situated.

But some dog owners were open to the idea of a new location if it

would cause less complaints.

“If it’s a place safe from any potential problems, then I’m for a

better location,” said Sean Murphy, who lives two blocks from the park

and has been taking his dog Tara there for more than a year. “It’s

unfortunate how it is now. Four houses are deciding the fate [of the

park].”

Some pet owners are concerned that a new park would not be as nice as

the current park.

“I’m scared if it’s relocated it won’t be as nice,” said Christine

Cornell. “It’s a nice park that people have put a lot of time and care

into with the [plaques] and planting trees.”