1. Parking Issues:
Despite my objections, the County Board approved the Four Mile Run Valley Master Plan without any plans to recover the 30 parking spaces that will be lost when Jennie Dean Park is redone. This will make finding parking near the dog park even more difficult. To increase turnover and prevent vehicles from being parked there all day, the county will be implementing over the next several months enforceable 2 or 4 hour time limits in the area near the main entrance to the dog park. We will have to see if this will help.
2. Please review the county’s Public Spaces Master Plan at: parks.arlingtonva.us and share your thoughts by Dec 9 particularly concerning dog parks which starts on page 225. Points to emphasize: Dog parks are the most visited of all parks in the county yet get less resources; New dog parks are desperately needed but the standards as written would not make them successful; Minimum size should be at least 20,000 square feet and optimal size of 1 to 2 acres; Remove synthetic turf and artificial grass as a surface material standard for not only are they extremely problematic it greatly increases the cost to build and maintain; Standards should be performance based. New dog parks need to be successful to ease the burden on the Shirlington dog park.
3. Please help keep the park clean by making sure everyone picks up after their dogs and has them in sight at all times. The future of the dog park depends on park users keeping it clean of poop and trash.
4. As we approach the shortest daylight time of the year, please note that the Shirlington dog park closes 30 minutes after sunset. Everyone and their dogs MUST be out of the park by then. See the link on our site for details and list of other dog parks that are open later.
Wishing you and your pups a Wonderful Holiday
and a Safe and Happy New Year.
from, Keith