Claims of Mount Pleasant not being dog friendly and a paucity of bark parks were on the menu at the March 3 Health, Recreation and Events Committee meeting.
A resident by the name of Tom shared his account of being harassed by Animal Control for letting his dog run roam unleashed at James B. Edwards Passive Park. And while dogs must be leashed in all areas of town by law, the community member reported that public complaints of unleashed dogs have steadily increased in recent months.
“We have a few people in our neighborhood who don’t like dogs and they’re calling and complaining,” he stated. “You go to I’On, they have a nice big dog park; they have happy hour, the dogs are running free. That’s what dogs do, they’re social. We can’t do that here. You can’t throw a stick to your dog in Mount Pleasant.”
While the I’On community doesn’t have a designated dog park, it does feature a two-mile loop trail, with certain areas allowing canines to sniff and explore unleashed.
Kaelin Hall also took the lectern to dispel a misconception of dogs posing a threat to her neighbors at James B. Edwards. She mentioned how she and her Old Village friends meet daily at 4:30 to socialize and watch their dogs play.
Hall noted that some of her neighbors have been taking their dogs to the same park for more than 20 years and have never encountered issues with their pets.
She further pointed out a lack of space for dogs in Mount Pleasant with facilities at Memorial Waterfront Park and Alhambra Hall having been shut down in recent times.
On that note, HRE Committee member Gary Santos informed that the newly renovated Waterfront dog park under the Ravenel Bridge is set to open later this spring, with enclosed areas for both big and small canines.
“I think what’s really important today is that we understand that we are a dog community. And what I’m looking for was the discussion of how many dog parks should we have? What does a dog park look like and what is the correct way to build a dog park,” said Council member John Iacofano, who imparted his thoughts during the public comment portion of the morning session.
Thirty-two year Mount Pleasant resident and dog owner Lisa Schnipke weighed in on the general state of dogs by affirming her support of the leash law in that it protects both humans and other dogs from being attacked.
HRE Committee member Jake Rambo agreed by adding: “I see both sides of it in that people have had incidents, even with their own dogs and their toddlers. And you never think that something’s going to happen until it does.”
Recreation Department Director TJ Rostin zeroed in on the number of designated dog parks in the area, which include Marsh View Trail on Rifle Range Road, James B. Edwards, Carolina Park and the incoming Memorial Waterfront dog park honoring the late US Army Capt. Richard Cliff. Also acknowledged was the County facility at Palmetto Islands County Park.
When asked by HRE Committee Chair Laura Hyatt about other possible locations, Rostin conceded that it wouldn’t be that difficult to find a “square-ish” tract and put a fence and amenities around it.
Hyatt maintained that she would favor a designated time and place for dogs to run and play unleashed. Past efforts of turning James B. Edwards into a designated dog park were unsuccessful, she said, due to citizens balking at the aesthetics of added fencing.
Rambo suggested that the committee examine other locations for an official dog park, preferably in Old Village.
Santos, on the other hand, contended that the opening of the large and small dog parks under the Ravenel Bridge would help solve the current lack of canine facilities.
“I just wanted to say the cavalry is on the way right now as we speak … I would just tell the public to keep their eyes open. Once we open our parks, they’ll be able to bring their dogs down there and have a safe place for the dogs to be able to play with other dogs their size, [with] water and everything else.”
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