Minnehaha Off-Leash Dog Park will soon be fenced off

I mean...it sounds like the Park Board isn't even footing the bill, or at least not all of it:

The National Park Service, which owns neighboring land, asked for the change and is providing a grant for the project, Commissioner Steffanie Musich said.

I guess it would make sense for the neighbors requesting it (ie the NPS) to be the ones to actually build the fence, but given that they are contributing funds, this seems like kind of a non-issue. The neighbors don't want dogs on their land. There are probably some asshole owners that let their dogs run into other people's property and shit without picking it up. The original Strib article suggests that this has been a problem over the years:

It’s also the only Minneapolis dog park that isn’t completely fenced in. As a result, some dogs over the years have found their way out through the woods and into traffic. Many dog owners approve of finally building a fence that would safely contain their pets.

I get that it might be frustrating if you have been taking your dog there regularly for years. It's hard to explain change to a dog. But overall this seems better for everyone, including dogs and dog owners.

2 comments

That sucks. I agree with this guy:
Three commissioners voted no, including Tom Olsen.
“If these other organizations so badly want this area fenced off, they should do it themselves. We don't have to be the ones implementing this, because our constituents do not want it, and it is indeed really important ground jewel of our park system,” Olsen said.
- I mean...it sounds like the Park Board isn't even footing the bill, or at least not all of it:
  The National Park Service, which owns neighboring land, asked for the change and is providing a grant for the project, Commissioner Steffanie Musich said.
  I guess it would make sense for the neighbors requesting it (ie the NPS) to be the ones to actually build the fence, but given that they are contributing funds, this seems like kind of a non-issue. The neighbors don't want dogs on their land. There are probably some asshole owners that let their dogs run into other people's property and shit without picking it up. The original Strib article suggests that this has been a problem over the years:
  It’s also the only Minneapolis dog park that isn’t completely fenced in. As a result, some dogs over the years have found their way out through the woods and into traffic. Many dog owners approve of finally building a fence that would safely contain their pets.
  I get that it might be frustrating if you have been taking your dog there regularly for years. It's hard to explain change to a dog. But overall this seems better for everyone, including dogs and dog owners.