Will Oak Forest Residents 'Give a Dog' a Park?

Dog owners from left their furry friends at home last night. Instead, they brought their concerns to a public forum for a proposed one- to two-acre dog park at the corner of 165th Street and Knottingwood Avenue, near the Oak Forest Hospital.

Spearheaded by Ald. Laura Clemons (1st Ward), who owns three dogs, the volunteer-run dog park would stand as a social meeting ground, not unlike a community pool, basketball court or skate park.

The major difference from public areas, Clemons explained, is that funding for the park will not come from Oak Forest property taxes.

“This meeting is a fact-finding mission,” Clemons stressed to residents on both sides of the aisle. “I want to assure the people who aren't so keen [on the proposal] that I want to hear your concerns.”

Many residents who support the proposal—which would cost at least $10,000 for fencing, parking, picnic tables and a double-gated entrance that locks, among other features—argued that what's good for special interest groups, is good for the entire community. Just last year, 800 Oak Forest residents applied for dog licenses, village officials said, and that's most likely the city's five-year average.

“All amenities are not going to benefit every single resident,” argued Oak Forest resident Melanie Gangolf, who owns a 2-year-old bulldog. “If amenities have to benefit every single resident, we'd never have anything.”

For residents living near the proposed area, however, their concerns range from noise, to dog attacks, to vehicle traffic, to you guessed it, the smell of Spot's droppings.

“It's easy for you [to support the dog park],” said Oak Forest resident Robin Cross, who's lived near the proposed area for four years, “but it's not in your backyard. You're not going to see it or hear it.”

Clemons assured residents against the proposal that, if built, there will be a significant patch of land between their homes and the dog park, which will distance any noise, smell or distraction. She also noted that of all the dog parks she's visited —in Oak Lawn, Frankfort and Blue Island—only about a dozen or so owners brought their dogs on a given day. Moreover, membership at those dog parks is upwards of 100 people, non-residents included.

“I know the value of a dog park,” said resident Sharon Carlson, who's lived in Oak Forest for 41 years. “It sounds like decisions have already been made. Too much has been organized.”

Cross argued further that building the dog park in the proposed area, 10 acres or more of untouched forests and fields, will disturb deer, coyotes and other wildlife.

Carlson agreed, urging Clemons to get residents more involved, so the city can consider a better location.

“Why not work with the forest preserve?” Carlson asked. “The location [near the hospital] is no guarantee. There are just too many questions.”

Depending on how much funding the community can raise from residents and sponsors, Clemons said, it could take a day, a week or six months for volunteers to begin construction.

“What town isn't a dog town?” Clemons asked. “In the end, a municipality should make a community that's not only liveable, but enjoyable.”