Has White Bluff Gone To The Dogs?
Rover’s Playpen brought the proposal for a dog park in White Bluff before the City Council in June, but it was tabled for more investigation of the proposal and the proposed site. The group wanted to use the area in the back right corner of Veteran’s Park ( less than 1/2 acre), behind the ball fields.
The Park Board was consulted, and in the City Council Meeting on July 7th, Dixie Kerr reported the board’s opinion was that some kids don’t know how to stay away from dogs and may wander off from their parents and get too close. In this case, the Park Board didn’t think that kids and dogs would be a good mix. Although they are not against a dog park, they just did not see the area in Veteran’s Park as a good place for dogs with all the kids already using the park for ball games.
Vice Mayor, Jeff Martin, countered with the fact that if we are enforcing a leash law, we are sending the wrong message if we do not try to accommodate the request for a dog park and that the park would be an improvement to that piece of property. Mayor Linda Hayes desired to be fair in that everyone in town pays taxes but do not all have the same interests ( such as using the baseball fields). She and Martin agreed that the park should be a multi-use facility.
Other areas under consideration for the park were beside the Field of Dreams and behind the new library.
Despite the Park Board’s objections, the City Council voted (3 yes, 1 no, and 1 abstention) to allow the Rover’s Playpen Organization use of the land in question in Veteran’s Park. It is the organization’s intention to fence in the area to allow dogs the freedom to run off their leashes and play. The money for the improvement to the land and the fencing will come from private and corporate donations.
In respect to the concern that the 5 and 6 year old kids that practice in the field closest to the dog park can be distracted by a slushie, Buford Woodard, Chairman of Rover’s Playpen, suggested that they could plant a hedge around the park to keep the distraction to a minimum.
The idea for a dog park is not a new one, it was brought up about 2 years ago and has been discussed on and off since then. Misty Johnson, Treasurer of Rover’s Playpen, shared with me that statistically 41% of households have dogs, and that they have witnessed huge successes in dog parks in Kingston Springs and Nashville, however, locally, White Bluff, Burns and Dickson do not yet have dog parks.
Although there are some health and safety regulations and governing rules, including that all dogs and puppies must be properly inoculated and all poop must be scooped, the park will be regulated by signage on the honor system. Both Johnson and Woodard were adamant that most people who take their dogs to such parks are responsible dog owners and that the dogs are very well socialized.
So, good news for local dog owners and bad news for the neighbor with all the cats.
No dates were set for the opening of the park, however, for more information contact Buford Woodard @456-2036.
I would like to visit White Bluff’s dog park but cannot find an address for directions !
If you could provide me with the address I would greatly appreciate it !
Thanks,
Karen King
I don’t think the dog park has been built yet. The 3 possible considerations are in the back right corner of Veteran’s Park behind the ball fields beside, the Field of Dreams, or behind the new library.
Hello Karen,
Thanks for asking. The site for the dog park IS behind Veteran’s Park and the cleanup of the site is just about complete.
I spoke with Buford Woodard today and he said that what they need now is money to construct the park. There is tentitive plan for a yard-sale the weekend after Labor day….and I understand that T=shirts are currently being sold. When I confirm the info I will post it. Thanks again for your interest and keep watching Dicksoncommunity.com for updates!
We estimate the total cost of the construction to be $3,000. The committee is prapared to start construction with one-half of the money in our hands. You may contact me for imore information
Excellent! I’ve wanted to take my dogs out to a place like this, I only wish it was closer than the Bluff since I live in the Nails Creek Area in Dickson!