Like many in our community, I was thrilled that our city saw fit to provide Trancas Park for many to enjoy. To those uninitiated, Trancas Park provides a toddler play area, immediately adjacent to a large (more than 100 by 50 yards), flat grass area, where kids can run and play while parents watch from nearby benches or the grass. The park also has a large dirt surfaced Dog Park that is fenced and double gated, which is up about 20 concrete steps, or accessible using an ascending walkway from the parking lot, and elevated above the play area.
Having a two-year-old who loves to run and play, I’ve taken him to this park a number of times and we’ve always enjoyed seeing several other children in the play area, but we’ve also seen something that I find disturbing. Although there is a dedicated Dog Park just steps away, and leash laws that still apply when the dogs are not in the Dog Park, there have always been dogs intentionally let loose by their owners to roam on the grass and amongst the children in the play area. This was particularly disturbing last weekend when there were seven children, including my two-year-old son, running on the grassy area chasing a ball, and four dogs were loose and running around them. The owners were a significant distance away, and one of the larger dogs actually took a dump on the grass with the children watching, while the owner was chatting up another dog owner about 100 yards away. No one came to clean up after this dog, and the mess was left for a child to fall over or into. A few of the larger dogs also began growling and snipping at each other, at which time I picked up my son, and attempted to shoo the dogs away. Unfortunately, dog owners letting their dogs run loose are a common occurrence at this park that I’ve seen upon every visit.
I’ve nothing against dogs or dog owners, but I do have much against irresponsible owners that allow their dogs to run free in the non-dog part of this park, especially considering that there are always small children present. I’m sending this as a hopeful WAKE-UP call to the dog owners who enjoy Trancas Park, and respectfully requesting that you enjoy the park with your dog as it was intended, and have your dog leashed when entering or leaving the fenced dog park area, and NOT allow your dog to run free in the play area or on the grass. I’m sure it’s tempting for dog owners to allow their pets to run in the beautiful grass field, but unless you have them on a leash and have the appropriate utensils with you, please don’t jeopardize the use of this park for everyone else, or the safety of the children that are always there. I will personally be making it a habit to ask dog owners I see doing this at this park to either leash their dogs outside of the dog park, or take them to the fenced area to let them run.
I’m sure with a little consideration, we can all enjoy this wonderful gift as it was intended, and not have it go to the dogs.
Geoffrey Ortiz