Politics & Government

Parks Director: Dog Park Survey's 'Very High' Response Rate Surprising

The survey asked Clayton residents whether they would support placing a fenced dog facility in Shaw Park.

Responses to a recent dog park survey will get a second look in January before the Clayton Parks and Recreation Commission votes on how to move forward, parks director Patty DeForrest said Monday.

Commission members requested that DeForrest forward a series of follow-up questions to the consultant that conducted the survey, she said. For example, because only , the commission wants to verify that the results are representative of residents.

The commission also will weigh the fact that several city planning documents don't call for a dog park in and that the cross-country team uses the area as a running course.

At the same time, the survey made clear that a large number of residents are supportive of a dog park, more so than for other proposals about which they have previously been surveyed.

"I think that was well articulated" during the commission's meeting Dec. 5, DeForrest said.

After discussing the issue further, the commission will either send the dog park survey to the city's Board of Aldermen with no recommendation; send it with support of the dog park; or send it with opposition to the park.

To DeForrest, the survey's "very high" response rate was its most surprising aspect. City surveys on other issues have yielded between 400 and 500 responses, she said. The dog park survey yielded 693.

Responses both in support of and in opposition to such a facility were familiar. Ideally, a dog park could be considered for an area of new land, DeForrest said. But such land isn't available, so the commission is trying to make a good decision based on available space at Shaw Park.

"I think it's a tough call," she said.


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