Photo by Bev Lloyd-Roberts via stock.xchng
Village Trustee Terry Burns’ motion to support bringing an off-leash dog park to Old Settlers County Park in Paddock Lake failed for a lack of a second at Wednesday’s Village Board meeting.
There is a temporary off-leash dog park at Old Settlers now as a fund-raising vehicle for establishing two dog parks at other county parks.
But before Burns made his motion several residents and some board members spoke in opposition to making the park permanent.
Resident Tom Arnison urged the board not to support the action because the land was prime for other recreational uses.
Trustee Joe Rieselmann said he did not oppose a dog park somewhere in the village, but that he did not like the current Old Settlers location.
The county is currently in the process of developing two dog parks — one in Petrifying Springs County Park and another in a county park under development along Highways KD and F in Randall and Wheatland.
Subject: Settlers Park
For the last ten years Paddock Lake has on its vision a conservancy plan called Village of Paddock Lake Comprehensive Plan, for parks,trails and a possible community center. It was last updated in 2005 and in order to get grants has to be updated every five years. The Plan was prepared in accordance with guidelines that will make it certifiable by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources so that the Village would qualify for matching grants through the Federal Land and Water Conservation and the State of Wisconsin Stewardship Plan.
One of the major findings was the lack of a community park(s). The village is strong in mini-parks and neighbor hood parks, but lacks a very much needed community park. Settlers Park is owned by the county, as we know, but is the largest in the area, 17.7 acres. The Village’s largest park is Rotary Park, 2.6 acres
In the conservancy plan and vision it calls for the development of two community parks, one on the east, bounded by, and one on the west end. In that plan it calls for a Dog Park. This park would be located behind the existing village hall. And as it stands now, it would be ideal for a dog park. There is a stretch of land West 235th St, south of 68th. This land is available now. (see attachment).
I am of the belief that the parks are for ALL the people. Settlers Park is such a beautiful park, and is an asset to ALL the people. of Paddock and the surrounding communities. I am also believe a dog park would be a good thing, but to have it in such a beautiful lake access area would not add to the inviting lake area that Paddock Lake now enjoys.
I hope the Village moves forward with the Plan so that the dog owners can have a place to call “home”.
Evadently none of you are dog owners. Why dont all of you on the villiage board stop acting like ur bigshots and just let pepole take there dogs to the park. All of you need to pull the stick out of ur ass and let pepole take there dogs to the park that is in there coummunity. That park is plenty big enough for a dog park AND FOR A PEPOLE PARK!!!!!!!!!!!
STOP BEING PARTY POOPERS
Thanks Anthony for your support, funny thing is I had majority support for the park prior to researching and drafting the resolution, so needless to say I was floored that it failed due to lack of a second. Whereas all I was requesting of the Board was to be in favor of the information contained solely on the resolution. Members of the Board felt it more prudent to have the Village incurr the costs of designing, engineering, implimenting and upkeeping their own dog park as oppossed to the residents getting one for free.
I consider that absurd.