The Monroe Monitor & Valley News, Monroe, Washington, The Voice of the Sky Valley Since 1899

Wiggly Field comes to Monroe

by POLLY KEARY, EDITOR

Monroe is a city rich in parks, and soon even the resident pooches will have one of their own. Parks organizers have identified a piece of unused Monroe park land that they believe will make a suitable area for dogs to play off leash. It's name? Wiggly Field.

The park has been in the concept mode for along time, said Monroe Parks Director Mike Ferrell. "The whole concept of planning and development of an off-leash park had been on people's minds for more than two years," he said. "Last July we started looking closely at existing parks to see if there was a suitable place."

The parks department identified a piece of land within Sky River Park as a likely candidate. South of and across a gravel road from two existing ball fields is a broad expanse of land that the parks department has been mowing, but that hasn't been used for anything. "At the very south end of the park there is a large grassy area, near the river, that we've traditionally just mowed," said Ferrell. "There's about four-plus acres." The area was ideal because it was away from other parks and from residences.

But in order to make the dog park a reality, the city had to take a few other steps. "The city passed an ordinance allowing off-leash parks and now we can legally open one," said Ferrell. But the city didn't want to pay for about $4,000 worth of improvements to the field, including a fence.

So the city in January passed another ordinance, this time allowing city departments to raise money from private citizens through donations for special projects. "In the city budget they don't have funds for a fence," said Ferrell. "So the city council passed a law that allows the city to receive donated funds for dedicated purposes. That way people can get a tax deduction."

The parks department is seeking $4,000 to install a rail fence of the kind used in other off-leash areas in Snohomish County. A chain link fence isn't practical, because the park is in an area that is often flooded, and flood debris would easily destroy a chain link fence.

The off-leash park will be a good addition to the city for pets and their caretakers, said Sam Wirsching, owner of Sam's Cats and Dogs, Naturally, a pet supply store in downtown Monroe. "There's a need in our community to have a safe and clean dog park," he said. "I'm excited about it. It's a great opportunity to improve the value of Monroe for dog owners."

Having an off-leash park means that people who don't like dogs are less likely to encounter them off-leash in other parks and on trails. And, he said, it keeps dog owners from leaving town for recreation. "People don't have to go to Marymoor park (one of the nearest off-leash parks, located in Redmond).

But, he noted, a dog park is a big responsibility. "When you put kids in a playground, you can communicate with them, but dogs aren't so easy," he said. "Dogs don't necessarily settle disagreements just by barking at each other. People will want to use the park who have 'bully breeds,' and that's a whole 'nother layer of communication."

The key to a successful dog park is good pet owners, he said. "People need to use the park that have trained dogs," he said. "We need to promote and encourage proper ownership and guardianship." One way the city might do that, he suggested, is to charge a parking fee at the park, but offer parking passes for owners who can prove that their dog is trained, perhaps by showing proof of attendance of obedience school or other means.

Other dog parks have been quite successful in Snohomish County, said Ferrell. "Everett has a beach park and and an off-leash trail," he said. Another exists near Cathcart, he said, and said that both are very popular. Dogs coexist fairly well there, he said, partly because dog owners are self-policing and that there is a sense of community among park users. "It's a social group," said Ferrell, who has a two-year-old German shepherd. "They're pretty good about using the parks well."

So far, said Ferrell, dog owners have been enthusiastic about the park, which he hopes will be open this summer. In order to raise the funds, he is considering some special events, and he plans to start an adopt-a-park program. And once the park is in place, he hopes that there could be activities.

Once such activity, he suggested, could be a weekend afternoon with treats for dogs. What would he call it? Yappy Hour.

To learn how to donate funds or volunteer labor to install fencing, call Mike Farrell at (360) 794-4007 or email mfarrell@ci.monroe.wa.us.

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