Fighting Like Cats & Dogs
There are partisan tensions afoot in Wilton, but it isn’t the usual suspects.
This time, the battle isn’t between Democrats and Republicans, but rather dog owners and those not so keen on canines.
Possibility of a 25-Foot Perimeter
The Parks and Recreation department is advocating a stronger ordinance concerning dogs near the playing fields. They are recommending that dogs be banned in a perimeter extending twenty five feet around playing fields (with exceptions for paths that cross near a field, like Merwin).
The main driver for this push is that some owners have not cleaned up after their dogs, creating a health hazard. There have also been a few altercations between dogs and some concerns raised that players may crash into dogs.
No Fido at the 4th of July Fireworks?
Ted Hoffstatter
Selectman Ted Hoffstatter (himself a proud dog owner!) has mixed feelings about this proposal. Says Ted, “there are legitimate concerns about the stadium and Lilly Field, but I don’t want to burden responsible owners and bar good dogs from all sporting events and town activities held near the fields”.
Hoffstatter noted that there is already an ordinance barring dogs from the fields that is not being effectively enforced, so extending the ban another 25 feet beyond the fields may be less the solution than actively enforcing the existing ordinance.
Will Wilton Get a Dog Park?
In related news, at the recent Speak out Wilton breakfast held at Trackside, First Selectman Bill Brennan responded to an inquiry from one of the 80+ attendees regarding the status of the oft-discussed dog park.
One possible location being considered is the area on the East side of Route 7 where the dirt was piled up during expansion. The state owns this property, but the Board of Selectmen are raising the idea with the DOT. However, given the current financial climate and budget constraints any plans for developing a dedicated dog park will likely be pushed off for a few years.
Hoffstatter reports that he would be happy to shepherd the dog park idea through when the town is ready for it. From a budget perspective, it is a nice to do, not must do, so now is not the year, but down the road, he hopes it can be accomplished with little town expenditure except for maintainence by Parks & Rec. Instead, it would be accomplished with private donations.
