Palmyra to decide dog park’s future July vote scheduled on proposal

PALMYRA – Voters here will head to the polls on July 17 to decide a number of local issues, including one that is getting its fair share of debate: a dog park.

For The Love of Dogs, founded by Robert and Jean Gervais of Pittsfield, is a 40-member dog owners’ club that has requested the use of property near the town’s ball field at the town garage on Route 2.

At a recent public hearing, two residents raised concerns about possible litigation, aggressive dogs and maintenance.

Some also felt that dogs from outside Palmyra should not be allowed to visit.

Robert Gervais said this week that he had visited dog parks “up and down the East Coast and has never seen a problem with aggressive dogs.”

“Because the dogs are out of their own yards, there is no territorial issue. I’ve seen 10-pound dogs playing with huge Rottweilers,” Gervais said.

He also said the town’s insurance already covers the park, similar to the addition of a skateboard park, because such areas are “use at your own risk.”

“I think the biggest issue regarding dog parks in central Maine is education,” Gervais said. “I don’t think people really understand what they are all about.”

Calls to several Maine communities that already have off-leash dog parks revealed that not only are these parks self-policed, they have become an increasingly popular social outlet for dog owners.

Users are not looking for a place for their pooches to poop, say supervisors, but rather a place to play and socialize.

“I can’t imagine life without the dog parks now,” said Jeff Tarling, park operations manager for the city of Portland. “They are a win-win situation, particularly if you have an active dog group working with the city.”

Tarling said Portland placed its two dog parks, one in an urban and another in a rural location, after a thorough review of other parks, some as far away as Australia.

“Now, the dog parks are the heaviest used parks in the city. Hundreds of dogs and their owners will be there on a good day,” Tarling said.

In Portland, the city supplies waste bags, fencing and mowing services. In Palmyra, the For The Love Of Dogs Club will be providing the same.

“The dog owners self-police and there has never been even a threat of litigation,” Tarling said. He said it is a win-win situation and a much better alternative to having the dogs in public parks.

MaryAnne Conroy, public works director at Old Orchard Beach, said her town has one off-leash park and is in the process of establishing a second park. She also said there has never been a threat of litigation.

Because the town supplies bags, pet droppings are not a problem, she said.

“It is working incredibly well,” Conroy said. “The biggest advantage is that is becomes such a social event.

“The elderly visitors, who never got out before, bring their chairs and enjoy the social aspect,” she noted. At Old Orchard, benches and picnic tables have been provided for visitors.

According to a 2005 study by the Prince Edward Island Humane Society, dog parks often become a social hub for communities.

“Dogs often help people break the ice, allowing people who share interests to socialize while exercising their dogs. These interactions help neighbors to get to know each other and to build a sense of community,” the study notes. “The social aspect of the dog park also tends to enforce the basic rules of dog ownership such as cleaning up after one’s dog and always controlling the dog’s behavior.”