Downtown’s New Pet Project

Dog Lovers Unite!

If your and your pooch have been begging (pun intended) for an escape from your usual routine, The Hance Park Steering Committee has recently recommended that the redesign of Hance Park include an off-leash dog park facility. You may remember in early March when plans for a temporary dog park at Margaret T Hance Park were approved. There are currently two locations being scouted for a permanent dog park.

So as you and your pooch start to enjoy the dog days of summer (teehee), think about how dog parks provide a safe, friendly, positive community experience for their users. Not only would this neighborhood addition be a welcome fun spot for, you know, Spot!, but would be an asset to the community at large in the form of a safe, well lit park where neighbors can meet.

Community involvement is just as important as the park itself.  So if you are licking your chops for a dog park  (seriously, I can’t stop) you’re invited to attend the Parks Board hearing on Thursday, April 26^th at 5:00p @ PHX City Council Chambers, 200 W. Jefferson.

We also encourage you to write an email of support to the following:

Our councilman:  Councilman Nowakowski at (602) 262-7492 or council.district.7@phoenix.gov

The Chair of the Parks Subcommittee: Councilman Simplot at (602) 262-7447 or council.district.4@phoenix.gov

Phoenix Actiing Parks Director: Jim Burke at james.burke@phoenix.gov or (602) 262-4986

Chair of the Parks Board:  Delia Ortega-Nowakowski at deliao-n@cox.net

SAMPLE copy for email:

I am a homeowner that resides in the downtown neighborhood (you can add your neighborhood here).

I encourage the Parks Board to move forward with the identified temporary location for a dog park in Hance Park between 3^rd & 5^th Avenues.

I believe this dog park will bring a much needed new energy to Hance Park, attract park users, while giving property owners a new amenity to tout for the area.  In addition, this new park use will attract responsible dog owners to Hance Park, giving more eyes on the park in deterring crime and the transient population, while building community.  The dog park will also increase safety for dogs, and non-dog owners as well.

Please move forward on this ideal location for a new downtown dog park and thank you for supporting this new park amenity downtown.

—Thanks to Kate Kunberger for tipping us off to this little treat.