Soccer Groups Don’t Want Off Leash Dogs In Park

Vernon’s soccer community gets its say today on whether off-leash dogs should be allowed in parts of Marshall Fields.

Reps will make a presentation to city council, outlining concerns about possible altercations between dogs and players, and also concerns about more “doggie-doo” being left behind.

“We have a survey signed by 446 (as at Feb.18/19) soccer players, parents and concerned individuals asking for the Vernon City council to not approve the dog park at Marshall as off leash,” says a letter to City council from the soccer reps. “The number of signatures on the petition does not reflect th’e scope of the soccer community of 3,000+ players that use these fields during the Spring season, as we are out of season at this time. The petition waslocated at theVernon Toyota lndoor Sports Centre and available to the soccer parents and players that use the facility at this time of year however the soccer community is prepared to widen the scope of input from parents and players if the need arises.”

The soccer groups are calling for a fence to be built to separate the dog area and the fields, or to move the dog park to another location.

The soccer groups cite two major concerns in their cover letter:

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1.  There are up to 500 U3 to U6 players that use Marshall Field #2 or #4 every Saturday, with up to 100 young players being on one field at one time. These fields run parallel to the dog walk With no buffer fencing. There is already a heightened possibility of a future doe / player altercation and the liability that could accompany such an
altercation should be the number one concern for all parties involved.

2. Establishing the Marshall Fields area as off-leash will encourage more dog users to come to the area and increase the problem of safety, dogs on the fields and dogs using the fields and surrounding.areas as a bathroom

The group is making two recommendations

-Build a fence, at the very least between Soccer fields #1 and #2, that establishes clear parameters between the dog walk and the soccer fields # 1 and #2.  A fence would provide security for the safety of the players, a preventive barrier for dog owners/dogs using the crossing of the fields to get to the dog walk and a visual message to dog walkers to stay off the fields.

-Move the dog park to another location, Additional to the safety concerns and the presence of dog feces on the fields noted already, there have been questions raised regarding the environmental impact of the dog park alongside the creek and the environmentally protected species that inhabit the area.