HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/5/2016 - STAFF REPORTS - 00John R. Crapo
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Dear Mayor Robert Moon, Members of the City Council (The Hon. Ginny Foat, Chris Mills, Jeff
Kors, J.R. Roberts) and City Staff
cc: Jennifer Nelson
I am writing on behalf of a group of local dog park users here in Palm Springs who have met with
you in the past and sought, successfully, a sensible solution to renovations and upgrades to the
Palm Springs Dog Park this past year.
First, we are all delighted and wish to extend a gracious thank you to all involved in the
renovations and progress to date. In a few short weeks, we look forward to the reopening of the
park the daily use for our dogs and the social interaction this will afford many of us. It cannot be
said enough, thank you, thank you indeed! Remember, dog parks are still people parks, and over
half of the regular resident users are retired and many not working due to disability. The park
affords many of us one of our few daily social outings for community and friendship.
While we know work is still in progress, a number of us have noticed one aspect of the
renovation which is, well, a tad troubling, but can be easily remedied while renovations are still
ongoing. We are delighted with the new trees, improved pathways (though the circular walk is
more than many expected and will require a bit more regular maintenance to keep clean and
slipping hazard free (wink wink) for our older residents, the new seating that will be installed and
other improvements as the lush new turf takes hold and matures. All lovely. But, we did notice a
rather pronounced increase in the use of smoothed pebbles in the treed areas, at the entrances
and towards the back of the large dog park field.
Here are our concerns.
1) The Small Dog park field has lost between 1/6 to 1/5"of the open grass area on which
they can play. The entire entrance way is now rock. Remember, the small field users
K)iol _L C� ,�, V+
(VI51ju
actually petitioned to see if their area could somehow be increased by extending the
fence closer to the curb on the western edge of the park. Now they face a substantial
loss of play area —due to the pebbles. These pebbles and stones retain and radiate heat
and will actually cause a dog paw pad burn hazard in summer months as they enter the
park. Now, while the work is still underway, we would ask the entrance way cover in
pebbles, well intentioned, be scaled back considerably and a few more rolls of turf be
used to greet visitors at or near the entrance. A simple fix!!!
(And fair warning... the folks on the small dog field are getting VERY UPSET as news is
spreading)
z) The same issue confronts the larger dog field area of the park. Towards the eastern back
area (fronting Cielo Road) this area was one of the few areas where grass survived when
maintenance and watering seemed to cease the past two years. It is now almost entirely
covered in stone. ???? An area that in the heavy use months with seasonal visitors has
a higher propensity to retain grass... exactly what we asked for... is now covered in stone.
Again, the same issues of additional summer radiated heat and threats to dogs' paws are
a REAL CONCERN. We ask that this back area be raked up of stone and recovered with
additional turf, with perhaps a small border area along the fence. Again, a simple, EASY
solution that should be enacted now while renovations are still underway and the park is
closed.
A final concern. The downfall of the park in the past was the lack of adequate, regular
maintenance. The current schedule of z hours on Friday is not adequate given the volume of
use. This is the most heavily used dog park in the Coachella Valley! (And one of the loveliest,
when maintained.) Moving to a z or 3 day a week, for one -hour closure, comparable to the
schedule at the Palm Desert Dog park would be much more effective.
I am collecting comments and suggestions from many and will distill these to have at the ready
which we will submit as citizen testimony to the committee that oversaw the park renovation. At
several city held hearings numerous park users made it very clear.: we wanted and expected a
grass park, not gravel or crushed stone due to heat and sanitary issues. The initial concept of a
crushed stone park was thought up by city staff without consultation of a reasonable sampling of
city residents and actual park users. The local resident dog park users thought we finally got that
message across. I suspect many of you members of city council did as well too as you responded
respectfully and favorably to our rather vocal objections and ability to start mobilizing a large
number of resident part users to hearings and meetings.
Let's make this renovation a $300 K +success story in Palm s Springs that uses PROP 1 money in a
way that everyone can be proud of and not something that's going to invite immediate public
criticism on opening day. As it stands, that WILL happen unless we make these corrections now.
Again... they strike us all as simple but important fixes.
I would STRONGLY urge you to invite a few of us to serve as an informal volunteer advisory group
with the City agency in charge and the contractor. I certainly would be willing to meeting with
any staff or contractor on short notice at City Hall or the park and can easily get a small ad hoc
group of use to grab leashes and coffee mugs to meet with contractors and city staff at the park
site within a 24to 48 hour notice. I live Just two blocks from the park, by design, at the Mojave
Blue apartments. As a person living with AIDS I rely on well trained, socialized and happy service
dog(s) to keep me going.
Let's make this renovation a $30o K +success story in Palm s Springs that uses PROP J money in a
way that everyone can be proud of and not something that's going to invite immediate public
criticism on opening day. As it stands, that WILL happen unless we make these corrections now.
Again... they strike us all as simple fixes.
Finally, a group of us are looking to reconstitute the 501 C 3 Friends of the Dog Park nonprofit.
This will assure the city will have a responsible working partner with direct access to citizens and
dog park users to help with maintenance, other future capital improvements (we need secure
public restrooms other than city hall) and seasonal major clean ups with a brigade of volunteers
to lessen the load on stretched city resources. We are requesting a short meeting with you and
staff to discuss these final suggested changes and to chart out a future of possible collaboration
and to be sure that these corrections are made now during the park renovation.
A dog friendly city, with a sterling dog park, should also be featured on the city's web page for
prospective new home buyers and visitors, and something we can all point to as an asset. We
look forward to a happy and supportive partnership between residents and the city with this
great park. And again, thank you for listening and appropriate the necessary funds to support the
dog park!!!
,W��arrmm/regards,
V'
John R Crapo