Dog owners who flout the rules at Katherine Legge Memorial Park’s canine recreation area might finally have pushed Hinsdale officials into retaliation.
And the disrespectful dog owners might have ruined it for all.
Village officials are considering stern measures to get owners and their pets to comply, including the possibility of requiring fee-based permits and banning dogs from the park completely.
During a Park and Recreation Commission meeting Monday, Nov. 9, village officials discussed several options that could be recommended in the future following instances of non-compliance by dog owners at the park.
“The meeting was a brain-storming session and will be continued at our next meeting,” said Jeff Curran, commission chairman. “We will move towards a refinement of our policies and guidelines for co-existence of pets and community members.”
Commission members said some of the problems occur when owners allow dogs to roam outside the designated park boundaries, are not leashed in leash-required areas and use the park at times not allowed.
Signs explaining the rules exist throughout the dog area of the park but often are ignored, commissioners said.
“You could have a sign every 3 feet there, but some people still wouldn’t obey it,” Griffin said. “I don’t see how people don’t see the signs. I think they just don’t want to.”
In a memo outlining recommended policy changes to encourage compliance, Hinsdale Police Chief Bradley Bloom suggested simplifying restrictions, including establishing one set of hours — the village posts two sets of seasonal hours — removing restrictions limiting dogs to only that area north of the creek in the park, and requiring users of the dog area to purchase a permit from the village.
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Restrictions for dogs at KLM Park • No more than two dogs allowed per owner • Dogs allowed only in area north of the creek, and dogs walking to and from the parking lot must be leashed • All dogs must remain in sight of owner, and be trained to respond on voice command |
“Permits would allow the village the opportunity to explain dog park rules (to users),” Bloom wrote in the memo. “Permit funds could be used to pay for a monitor to be present during dog hours.”
Bloom also said existing signs can be confusing to park users because the printing on the signs is small, and signs with maps are not oriented with north at the top of the map.
“The signage and map require a familiarity with the park landmarks ... our signage has north pointing to the left,” Bloom wrote in the memo.
Commissioner John Deppe said one solution would be to not allow dogs in the park at all, the policy for all other Hinsdale public parks.
“I hear many are not our residents, and then there are complaints about receiving tickets (for non-compliance). It’s not good publicity,” Deppe said. “At some point I have to ask, is it even worth it to have dogs in the park? Do we want dogs there at all?”
Another option considered will be requiring a fee-based permit for users of the dog area.
Al Davis, of Elmhurst, takes his white Samoyed named Thunder for regular visits to the park, and said he opposed permits.
“If there is a problem, then identify the problem and fix it. If we are asked to pay for a permit, then I would have to ask what we will receive in return for our money,” Davis said.
Burr Ridge resident Maxine Mar, who uses the park regularly to exercise her dog, said she is opposed to more restrictions.
“This is truly a gem of a facility and is heavily used. We have people running red lights and speeding, but you wouldn’t see the village closing down County Line Road to automobiles,” Mar said.
The commission does not have the authority to make policy decisions such as charging permit fees or restricting the park use to dogs, but could make recommendations that eventually could be voted on by the Village Board.
“The park is a multiple-use, corridor park that is heavily used by non-Hinsdale residents,” said Parks and Recreation Department Director Gina Hassett. “I think we need to continue to be diligent with our signs.”
Hassett said it is unlikely the village would erect fences to enclose areas for dogs to run unleashed, as do some other area dog parks.
“I don’t think we want to make it a dog park that has areas fenced off for large dogs, small dogs, and then those without dogs. But I do think if an owner has a dog that is not leashed and does not obey on command, then it should be on a leash,” Hassett said.
Commissioners agreed responsible dog owners are in the majority, and infractions are an exception, not the norm.
“The majority of the community of dog walkers abide by the guidelines,” Curran said. “The need for guidelines and policies is to control the minority of abusive or non-common sense dog walkers to assure safe use of the park by all.”
