Dog Play Area Advocates Retreat From Washington Square Playground Proposal

Dog Play Area Advocates Retreat From Washington Square Playground ProposalDogs frolic in Washington Square. (Photos: Geri Koeppel/Hoodline)
Geri Koeppel
Published on June 24, 2016

A group of advocates for the creation of a dog play area in or near Washington Square have backed off from their earlier idea of using the Washington Square playground for that purpose.

At a meeting on May 5th, some dog owners asked about the possibility of using the soon-to-be-renovated playground for off-leash space instead, noting that two other playgrounds are located nearby. However, several issues make that plan difficult and potentially unfeasible—including the fact that the playground is landmarked. 

A second meeting to discuss plans for the Washington Square playground's renovation was held on June 22nd at the Joe DiMaggio Playground clubhouse, but no dog advocates attended.

If you missed the meeting, this PDF outlines the presentation and two potential options for the makeover, which is possible thanks to a parks bond passed in 2012. One option is for a "playful hills" design, while the other is titled "through the forest."

Rec & Park said information will be posted near the Washington Square playground, as well as at Joe DiMaggio Playground, community centers like Tel-Hi and local preschools. A Rec & Park spokesperson told us the next meeting will be scheduled sometime in the fall.

Washington Square playground.

North Beach resident and dog owner Jay Stokes, who's in favor of creating a dog park or play area, said in an email that the recent meeting was "not the right forum to address the needs of dog owners in our community. At this time, we are simply too late in the renovation process to influence any change to the current project in [Washington Square]."

He also said Rec & Park "failed to consider community dog owners in the planning for Washington Square and District 3."

June Fraps of Friends of Washington Square told us the group is "concerned about the damage dogs do to the turf in the middle of the square," but "we haven’t taken a position, because we haven’t seen a plan. We are quite willing to look at their plans."

Washington Square.

Stokes said he'll "continue to explore ways that North Beach dog owners can be included in future discussions" with Rec & Park. "I believe this is just the beginning to finding common ground for dog use space in our district, with a lot of hurdles to surpass to get there."

"There has to be a solution," agreed Lynnet Spiegel, owner of Jeffrey's Natural Pet Foods, located a block from the park. She said customers have brought up a lot of ideas, including allocating an hour each morning and evening for off-leash activity throughout the park. She said many families have dogs and children, and want places for both. 

While dog owners routinely let their dogs off-leash in Washington Square, it's not legal, and they can be ticketed. “These dogs are going to be pent up," Spiegel said. "If dogs don’t get the proper exercise, it equates to a badly socialized and behaved dog."

Spiegel usually takes her dogs to Crissy Field, but "that’s going to be gone, too," if the Golden Gate National Recreation Area's proposal to restrict off-leash dogs goes through.

"We’re all close here," she said. "We all know everyone. We just all need to get along and figure it out."