I'am so glad to actually have something like this here .The Open House was wonderful event . I hope it returns next year !!!!!!

Patty

I would be glad to discuss this with you. It's hard to reply to a postings on the net.

Brian Rogers
763 561 3255
uneasychair46@comcast.net

Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission

Nice idea, poorly planned and executed. We taxpayers probably paid more for the signs than anything else regarding this park. What park? All I saw was a big steep sleding hill and tall grassland and swamp, and a neighborhood nearby. Totally inappropriate area without a fence, regardless of dog behavior..we always have to count on inconsiderate and ignorant dog owners..a fence would help. Seems even Crystal with their transformed hockey rinks have a better thing going on and fridley and coon rapids, tho not without their own problems, certainly have better situations for the dog/human populace. How was this even advertised? I read my city mail and I never heard anything about a planning committee.

January 12,2010 a focus group met to discuss the Brookdale Park Dog Park. The group comprised of current users of the park. Council Member Dean Heng, Parks Director Jon Oyanagi and Parks Commissioner Brian Rogers. The overwhelming input was positive. The recommendations from this group will be forwarded to the Parks Advisory Commission for the Jan 20,2010 meeting.
Brian Rogers
Brooklyn Park Parks Advisory Commission
Uneasychair46@comcast.net

There is a swampy area on one side, and pretty tall grass everywhere else -- call it "natural fencing" with a couple of openings.

If your dog has obedience issues, I would first suggest Katie Canine's class to properly train the "people". If that doesn't work, then try a shock training collar -- they are cheap and you won't need it very long if you use it properly.

No matter where you are, you may encounter ballistic dogs and perhaps even insane wild life -- not just in parks, but everywhere else. I have seen people who should not own dogs.

For the poster a while back, I would suggest pet insurance. $1K plus a legal problem, then trying to make someone actually pay you (yeah, a civil judgment doesn't mean much) is more of a hassle then an 80/20 split with an insurance company. Who you gonna sue if it's a raccoon?

I recently found out about the off-leash area. I like the area that was chosen, but think it should be fenced in. I

While its true, obedient dogs can be trusted more, some dogs like mine can be trusted but really like to run and be free of the leash.
I believe that is best done with a fence. good thing there are nice parks w/fences close by. and if want to stop for gas or a bite to eat we'll help put money in that community as well.

Nice place, just NEEDS to be fenced in!

"We will start walking in West Palmer where leash laws are required and most people follow the rules."

MOST people do follow the rules at Brookdale Park too.....

My husband and I will not be returning to the Brookdale Park walking path due to dog park. In 15 years of walking twice a day, summer and winter, my dogs were never bothered until this park came about. I walk my dogs on leashes and twice now dogs have bolted out of the dog park over the hill and down to the parking lot and attacked my dogs. This time my little black Lab was attacked. She has two large puncture wounds and her back looks like a road map. My vet tells me she will most likely require surgery to put drains in her wounds if they don't heal properly and they probably won't because of the area on her back they are in. The owner of this dog sat on top of the hill on a bicycle while his dog ran freely down the hill into a leashed area and attacked. He did not seem to care. It wasn't even his dog, it was his girlfriends. We were lucky to get her name and address and we called the police and they came out and took pictures of our dog and now this dog has been classified as a dangerous dog and will have to wear a muzzle whenever out of it's yard. We will not visit this area again which is sad because we loved it. We will start walking in West Palmer where leash laws are required and most people follow the rules. My Vet even says he will not take his dog over there. I hope Brooklyn Park wakes up and decides to fully fence it or close it. This has traumatized my dog and will end up costing us close to $1,000.00 in Vet bills. I will have to file civil charges against this dog owner in order to try to get reimbursed for my bills. Thanks much Brooklyn Park! I hope your park fails.

Pam O.

Because of population in the area, I think this was a bad idea. I have two beautiful labradors who were attacked by two off leash brown pit bulls this past mother's day in an on leash area. It seems the dogs bolted from the off leash area thus the reason a fence is needed.The dogs owner was absent for about 30 minutes before he showed up. There was no apology, nothing. I was scared to death. Thank God the pit bulls showed no agression to me. I quickly got my dogs back to our vehicle while screaming and kicking at the other dogs to keep them away from my dogs. I am 60 years old and way to old for this stuff. I have walked this park for 15 years and will no longer return. Thanks again Brooklyn Park for another poor decision. This isn't Plymouth.

Pam O.

As a 27 year resident of Brooklyn Park I have learned that in order to have my opinion be heard I need to take an active role in my community so I attend city meetings where they will listen to your opinions and take them into consideration. If someone keeps tapping you on the forehead and you tell everyone but the person doing it that you want them to stop all you will get is a headache. Earn the right to complain and get involved with your community and be a leader and get others involved. Personaly my dog Felix and I are excited to visit the fenceless dog park. I brought my dog to obedience class so I am confident that I will have no problem without a fence. I guess dog owners with disobedient or untrained dogs do have reason for concern but that responsibility is that of the dog owner and not the city. Please don't take this as a personal attack, this message goes out to anybody that complains without actually getting involved in the process.

No Conspiracy

The Commission spent almost a two years looking at ten different locations in the city. We toured other parks and got feedback from residents. (Background not given in the Sun Post article). We created what we could with the funds set aside for this project in difficult financial times. Please feel free to help us out with your ideas on how to fund a fully fenced permanent Dog Park in Brooklyn Park with limited resources.

Brian Rogers

Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission

763 561 3255
uneasychair46@comcast.net

What a great park! Finally a place to let me obedient dog run free and not have to go to another community! Thank You Brooklyn Park for finally getting a dog park.

An off leash dog park that's not fenced? What's the point? I live close to this park and was really looking forward to taking my dogs to it. Guess I will have to continue loading them up and taking them to another community. Just like I have to do with just about everything else since retail and restaurants in this area are dwindling rapidly!

A non-fenced off leash dog park is similar to an unlockable bank vault. It is obvious the steering committee for this pilot program are not dog owners and have no intention for the plan to go beyond the "pilot program" stage. If the planners would visit the Fridley park, Trackside in Coon Rapids, or any of the Minneapolis off leash parks, they would realize in an instant that a fence is a must. The article in the Sun-Post newspaper stated this was a trial to see if the dog park will impact the neighborhood. Without any study, the answer will be a definite yes. Congratulations Brooklyn Park, you continue to astound your citizens with incredibly poor decision making.

35 year resident of Brooklyn Park and life long dog owner