Birmingham residents push to re-establish dog park

Watch that clip from the HBO's popular series and it makes sense why some people would want a dog park in their community. Of course, when you consider that dog owners probably outnumber, say, tennis players by a significant ratio it makes perfect sense why some residents are pushing for more of them in Birmingham?

The Birmingham Dog Owners Group is lobbying city officials to reopen a dog park in the city since the one in Springdale Park was closed by the state Supreme Court last summer. The group claims that it's only fair since the city has a number of recreational facilities dedicated to other niche activities, such as skateboarding, tennis and ice skating.

It also claims the dog park was quite popular and regularly used by residents before its closure. Members of the group also point out that the master plan for the city's Parks and Recreation Dept. calls for two dog parks.

If Birmingham were to open another dog park it would join a number of Metro Detroit's communities that already enjoy them, such as Ann Arbor and Madison Heights. in fact, urban centers around the country such as Chicago, New York, Minneapolis, and Seattle have supported the creation of dog parks and impact studies in Australia and California have demonstrated that these spaces lead to more responsible dog ownership.

The parks would also compliment local dog-care businesses that are sprouting up, such as doggy day cares and grooming facilities.

For information on the Birmingham Dog Owners Group, contact Craig Jolly at (248) 644-8540.

Source: City of Birmingham and Craig Jolly, organizer of Birmingham Dog Owners Group
Writer: Jon Zemke