Letters about proposed Weston Dog Park

Weston should have a dedicated dog park

To the Editor:

As a Weston resident, I will be voting Yes on April 4 for the dog park in Weston. I have two dogs and at least twice a week I head out of town to visit other dog parks. They are lovely dog parks, and I’ve met some wonderful people there; however, I, like many other residents in town, feel that Weston should have a dedicated dog park of its own.

The town has identified the Moore property for this purpose. It is town owned land, and was purchased for municipal use in 2003, for which taxpayers are still paying in the form of a 20-year bond. The dog park itself and the parking area and turnaround will be paid for with funds raised by The Weston Dog Park Inc, a 501(c)(3). The town will pay for a driveway to access this property for all Weston residents. This proposal has been two years in the making. Please join me in voting Yes for a fenced-in off-leash dog park in Weston.

Maria Calamito-Proto
Roscrea Place, Weston

Ultimate costs of the dog park are not clear

To the Editor:

How much are you willing to spend for a dog park? The fact is, costs would need to be known before that decision could be made.

Currently, the projected cost is $218,000 and rising for a 1,280-foot gravel access road (which will require yearly maintenance), 80-foot turnaround, parking for up to 44 vehicles, removal of 123 trees from the road, turnaround, and parking area, removal of 60 dead, hazardous trees and brush from a 3.5-acre dog run which would be enclosed with a five-foot chain-link fence.

The cost is fluid because as the construction plan continues to change and modifications are made, the final plan has yet to be submitted.

The “Memo of Understanding” between the town of Weston and Weston Dog Park Inc. states that costs for the parking area, chain-link fence and trash receptacles will be paid for by WDP Inc., which is currently at $83,000. The existing problem is that the current “MOU” between Weston Dog Park Inc. and the town of Weston is a “draft” and is therefore non-binding.

No reasonable person would purchase a house, car, or vacation package without knowing the cost. This is no different. Unless you vote No, our taxes will increase to pay for a dog park while current programs and services, like school security and an existing park at Bisceglie, are potentially under the knife. Where would you rather see your money go?

Joan Dudash
Lords Highway East, Weston

Say yes to a dog park on April 4

To the Editor:

As a 24-year Weston resident, I’ve seen many changes in this town. My first home after moving from London was in Weston. My first home with my husband was in Weston. My three children were born in Weston. My family and I built our dream house in Weston. We are very committed to this beautiful town and want nothing but the best for Weston.

Over the years, I’ve been a volunteer teacher of religious education, a volunteer with the PTO, a volunteer at the Memorial Day fair, a volunteer with Girl Scouts, a volunteer with EMS, and a volunteer on the board of the Weston Dog Park. I love living here. Weston is run, not only by the great leadership in town hall, but by many volunteers, without which we’d lose a lot of that great charm that we love about this great town. On April 4, don’t let a few NIMBYs tell the many volunteers that they can’t raise money to build a town amenity on the Moore property, town-owned land. Vote Yes to the Weston Dog Park.

Michelle Halpin
Norfield Farm Lane, Weston

Dog park transparency?

To the Editor:

First talks of a dog park surfaced in 2015 with the passing of new leash laws here in town.  Residents have been told repeatedly that the entire process has been transparent to the public and that if we are not educated on the subject it is due to our lack of attendance at meetings or failure to search the town web page.

In my research of the proposed dog park, I was curious as to how much money has already been appropriated into the research and development of the plan. In searching archives, I found a $700 (finance board vote) appropriation two years ago. The money was for the placement of flags for the dog park driveway that was originally proposed for the Davis Hill entrance. If there are additional costs and funds that were appropriated for the research and hired contractors to investigate the possibility, then I believe residents have the right to know.

Some years ago, there was a referendum vote for a proposed cemetery on municipal property.  The matter was immediately put to a town vote, prior to movement on the plan. The referendum actually asked residents if they approved of the appropriation of $30,000 to conduct an A-2 survey. Town residents voted no to the appropriation and the idea of a cemetery in Weston was dead on arrival.

Why are we, two years into a plan, finally allowed to vote? Why have we invested hours of research and planning? Why have our town employees been at the sole service of a private non-profit group for two years?

Before you vote on April 4, ask yourself if this project has truly had the amount of transparency claimed and if the town of Weston has handled other projects without the courtesy of gauging resident interest from the onset.

Lynn Ries
Buttonball Lane, Weston

The Weston Dog Park

To the Editor:

I would like to clear up some of the questions and concerns about the construction

of the Weston Dog Park. Let’s start with the location. It was me who recommended the Moore property as the location for the dog park. But only after looking at all other town-owned lands and reviewing the deed restrictions and floodplain and wetlands maps.

Since then dozens of other town employees, committee members and private citizens have done the same thing. The zoning board approved the location; the Wetlands Committee has voted yes on it once already; Parks and Recreation has said yes; and the Board of Health has given a positive opinion.

Everyone except those against the dog park have come up the same conclusion. Now let’s talk about pollution to the land or wetlands or watershed. There will not be any. I have read all of the reports from other towns and states and spoke at length with our Board of Health.

There’s no problem with pollution because the park will be kept clean and neat. I would also like to mention that the park is not in any watershed. There is more pollution caused by septic systems than would ever accrue from a dog park.

Next, alleged drainage problems and the reports of flooding caused by the Moore property — there aren’t any.

Let’s talk about the wildlife. We have more than 3,000 acres of open space in Weston and there are 36 acres of land at the Moore property location. Taking 3.5 acres for the park will have no effect on the wildlife there. With a six-foot fence, animals will be able to jump over, climb over, or fly over to gain access to that piece of land if they want to with no problem. Plus, they have plenty of land left to carry on their lives.

As far as the land belonging to Trout Brook Preserve, that is incorrect. Plus, the property is a green belt. The whole town is a green belt; believe me, I know, because I answer all the calls from every part of town about wildlife problems.

Let’s talk about the cost of building the park. We have an organization which is willing to raise most of the money to construct the park and the town will install the access road. Now that the location of the entrance has been changed, this is a great deal, because now all Weston residents will be able to come in and enjoy the property they spent $2.3 million to purchase. The claims of hidden costs and the price tag seem to be going up only because some residents have hired an attorney and are trying to block the park from being built, so of course the town has to do more research and spend more on attorneys and studies.

There are concerns about safety. Let me assure you that I will be there every day and the rules for the park use will be very strict. There will be a gate, and if after-hours use becomes a problem it will be taken care of immediately.

I could go on and on about the almost two years of meetings and incorrect information being put out there about this project, but I have just given you some of the correct information so you as a citizen can decide if you want a dog park. So if you love logs and don’t want people stopping you from using land that you paid for, vote Yes.

Mark Harper
Newtown Turnpike

Editor’s Note: Mark Harper’s letter appeared in print with his designation as Weston Animal Control Officer, in fact he submitted this letter as an individual resident, not as a town employee.

Reasons to vote no on the proposed dog park

To the Editor:

Voting No on the dog park proposed for Weston on April 4 means you don’t buy the talking points repeated over and over by dog park proponents and their advocates among our town leaders. It does not mean no dog park ever, just not the one at the Moore property woodlands, one approaching $225,000 as costs continue to rise.

A No vote tells the mere 380 people who signed a petition to force a vote that not enough information is available to make an informed decision. Plans and costs are unclear and changing. Required approvals are not in hand, and only a draft agreement exists between the town and the dog park organizers.

No means we, the majority, establish priorities. Not those who, even after the selectmen issued a resolution promising them a vote, undertook a petition to force the vote prematurely.

A No vote means that an even smaller group of people — fewer than 215 votes out of more than 6,000 registered voters, potentially all they need on April 4 —  can’t force the town’s hand to continue to spend your money on this project.

A No vote means that you get to keep your voice. A dog park may be built at some point, but one planned and developed inclusively, at the right place and at a reasonable and fully disclosed cost. We dig deep into our pockets every year to fund this town. Look at the needs that are potentially going unmet, like school security and senior services. Look at the potholes on your own street. Consider the poor condition of Bisceglie, an existing park that may be on the verge of losing its funding.

Join me in voting No, in person at Weston Town Hall on April 4, and you get to have your voice heard, to keep control of the town’s priorities and decide how your tax dollars are best spent.

Bob Casson
Farrell Road, Weston

Support for dog park in Weston

To the Editor:

I want what’s best for my family: safe schools, high-quality education, good friends, and great memories of growing up in Weston. Our dog is an extension of our family, and I want the same things for him, a safe place to play, good training, and lots of social interactions with other dogs.

I support a dog park in Weston to connect with more people that live here, ones I wouldn’t have met because our paths don’t cross. In my opinion, dog owners are good people and I’ve met wonderful new friends through our dog, but many of these friends live in other towns.

When we moved here 19 years ago, we loved the two-acre zoning, the rural feel of Weston, and the people. None of that has changed, but we have. We’ve added two children and a dog to our family, and our needs have changed, too. Having an amenity like a fenced-in dog park on a rural piece of land that will be funded by a private group sounds ideal. I am voting Yes to a fenced-in dog park in Weston on April 4.

Therese Zuch
Newtown Turnpike, Weston

Weston’s dog park will be largest in the country

To the Editor:

Does our small town need the largest fenced-in dog park in the United States?

I have been watching the Weston Dog Park debate for quite a while and it is hard to pin down answers and details with plans and positions constantly changing.

So I did some research on my own prior to next week’s vote and learned something I hadn’t heard in the meetings or seen hurled about on social media.

Weston’s dog park, as proposed — a fenced-in, standalone, free-to-the-public 3.65 acre dog park — will be the largest of its kind in Connecticut, in New England, and yes — in the United States. I found this shocking, and it’s not fake news. Look for yourself online at petfriendlytravel.com, bringfido.com and other sites.

The key issue here is that most dog parks are not fenced-in dog parks, they are off-leash dog parks. Most dog parks are not standalone parks, they are part of existing municipal parks. So when you compare our proposed dog park to other similar parks (fenced-in, standalone, free-to-the-public) then our 3.65 acre park will be the largest in the United States.

Even a half-acre park is large for a fence-enclosed dog park. Ridgefield’s dog park is half-acre for a town with a population which is 2.5 times larger than Weston. Our 3.65 acre park will be more than seven times larger than the Ridgefield Park.

There are approximately 700-800 dog parks across the country. The vast majority are open, off-leash parks, not fenced-in as Weston plans to do. And, speaking of the fence, the proposed site of the park already has existing stone walls which naturally enclose the proposed dog park area but Weston will also erect chain link all along those stone walls.

If size matters, this dog park is HUGE. What are the ramifications of such a super-sized dog park for upkeep, maintenance, supervision, the environment – not to mention parking as dog lovers from all over the country sniff out the small town with the largest dog park of all?

Weston will be known as the small town with the country’s biggest “fenced-in” dog park.

Size matters.

Chuck Palsho
Catbrier Road, Weston

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