The parks department has the authority in City Charter to close or limit park areas as necessary in order to maintain public safety. Both Roosevelt Park and Pomeroy Park have long standing issues with dogs being allowed to roam free inside the fence. Dogs on leash signage was not curtailing this activity which has resulted in the current no dogs designation at both park playground areas. The update to the ordinance was submitted to the City Council in the fall which places that and other off-leash management issues as part of the of our, amendable off-leash policy, not ordinance.

And it starts. I have been a huge supporter of Burlington Parks Department until this very decision. You are going to make enemies out of the dog parents in town, because you just made a HUGE one out of me. Banning dogs seems to be a growing trend with you guys. Who makes that decision in your department? Canis lupus familiaris parents pay taxes for public spaces here too, and I believe that your entire budget is derived from taxes. Can we ban Homo sapien kids? I have more problematic encounters with them at parks than I do with problematic dogs. Maybe you should go after the Burlington K9 officer. He is off-leashing his extremely aggressive dog in your parks. It was absolutely terrifying. I will still be using all Parks with my leashed dogs in protest of this absolutely absurd rule. Have me arrested. Ticket me. I will make sure I am not out walking in the nude that day. Cheers.

Could Parks and Rec elaborate the meaning of the final sentence of their reply. Something that “was submitted” to City Council isn’t a law yet, and in any case the rest of the sentence does not seem to make sense.

The neighborhood is clearly full of dogs. Are there any plans to provide something for them there, ie limited hours for off leash in the fenced in area?

if one lives into an area , or moves into a living situation, knowing the limitations of the area to support their individual needs to own/parent a canine, and doesn't first consider those limitations prior to bringing this canine there, isn't the onus of culpability on those owner/parents?...

I know that there have been some issues over the years with dog owners not picking up dog poop and then kids are playing in the same space...especially in "Mini Rosie", the smaller park. The fencing makes it great for dog owners, but some folks weren't very responsible. Having taken lots of kids there over the years, it's always a drag when dog owners haven't picked up.

Iceu— first of all, that’s not really how city services work. Typically, as needs in a neighborhood change, the city will adapt. Secondly, cities typically make improvements with time. Thirdly, if you follow this thread, you’ll see that forbidding dogs entirely in Little Rosie park is a very recent thing, so you can’t really accuse people of coming into the situation. But mostly, it’s about providing facilities and services that improve the community, similar to bike paths. Might not be used directly by everyone but provide some benefits for the whole.

Megan, I think it’s fairly evident that the neighborhood could use a (small) “dog park.” If you visit the dog park at Starr Farm, you’ll see that the dog owners look after it, poop is not really an issue—people really keep it clean! I find the dog park way better cleaned up than the green belts for instance.
It’s a shame that people not cleaning up would result in spoiling the situation for everyone. I would think there are other solutions than a prohibition, such as providing (like at the dog parks) a dispenser with bags to make it easier. It’s fairly low cost and, similar to providing trash cans, helps encourage people to clean up.

To be clear, I’m pointing out that if dog owners were using Little Rosie that way (due to the location and the fence), that can be seen as indicating a clear call for at least a small dedicated dog park. If there was such an area in Roosevelt park — and I think there is room — it could also potentially have other benefits for the park and the neighborhood.

Andrew, I completely agree that some dog space would be wonderful. The number of dogs has increased in the city and some dedicated space in the ONE is warranted. Just wanted to point out the sometimes downside of a shared kid and dog park.

Thank you for reporting this issue. City of Burlington staff will now begin their investigation into the matter.

Acknowledged ~ Parks - there is a citizen group making recommendations to update park rules and ordinances.