Opinion: Clifton dog park proposal divides community again

Rama Kasturi

Opinion contributor

Cynthia Duvall of the Preserve Burnet Woods board points out the proposed location of a new dog park at Burnet Woods in the Clifton neighborhood of Cincinnati on Thursday, May 19, 2022. City plans to install a dog park in the north-east corner of the park has drawn criticism from local groups and neighbors.

With nearly 90 acres of wooded greenspace, Burnet Woods is a healing buffer between the University of Cincinnati and Clifton. People from all over the world and from all walks of life can be seen enjoying this urban jewel in the Cincinnati Parks system.

Primarily located in Corryville and CUF (Clifton Heights, University Heights and Fairview), only the park’s northeast corner is within Clifton’s boundaries. And yet, once again, Burnet Woods has become the preferred location for a "pet" project by a Clifton organization. PUPP (Pop-Up Puppy Party) is working with Cincinnati Parks to raise funds for a fenced 10,000-square-foot dog park on the corner of Jefferson and Brookline avenues.

There is nothing "pop up" about PUPP’s plans to fundraise for this permanent facility. Their vision is to build community by bringing together Clifton neighbors and their dogs. However, neither the neighbors nor the broader community already invested in Burnet Woods has been engaged on this subject by Cincinnati Parks or PUPP, a necessary first step in building community.

In 2020, Cincinnati Parks surveyed Clifton residents about a small, urban dog park in Dunore Park. Nearby residents expressed strong opposition. They were concerned about lower property values, danger to children using the park, trash and smell, parking issues and traffic congestion.

Clifton Town Meeting supported those opposing the Dunore Park proposal by voting against it and created criteria for Cincinnati Parks to consider before locating a dog park in or near Clifton. Subsequently, the Park Board began considering other locations. However, neither Clifton Town Meeting’s guidelines nor Cincinnati Parks’ own guidelines for dog parks appears to have been considered while choosing this site in Burnet Woods.

The Cincinnati Park Board's list of possible Clifton dog park sites started at seven.

Once again, neighbors closest to this site have voiced opposition to a dog park so near their homes, many of which are apartments. Parking is a major problem, given the density of residential buildings near this location. Many of the apartments are rented to UC students and either do not allow dogs or make pet ownership difficult and offer no greenspace. This part of Burnet Woods is the only walkable and accessible greenspace for these residents. Yet, their pleas to have the Park Board reconsider this decision for all the same reasons underlying their decision to shelve the Dunore Dog Park proposal have been ignored.

Parks all over Ohio, including Cincinnati Parks, saw a 170% increase in use during the pandemic. It is necessary for humans and wildlife to share precious greenspaces without further diminishing them. The Park Board has agreed to contribute $150,000 toward this $450,000 project with PUPP fundraising the balance. Existing green space will be replaced with artificial turf (30% of total cost) which is known to degrade and release "forever" microplastics into soil and water. No extra funds have been budgeted for its maintenance and care, despite the fact that Cincinnati Parks is struggling with existing maintenance.

There are many deferred maintenance items in Burnet Woods. Signage is still lacking, trails and trees need maintenance, and graffiti and trash remain major issues. A recent $250,000 investment by Cincinnati Parks has helped remove and control invasive plants/bushes in Burnet Woods with benefits for all park users. The decision to hire a year-round grounds employee and keeping Trailside Nature Center open on Saturdays are other examples of money well spent. Partnering with volunteers from Preserve Burnet Woods and Burnet Woods Parks Advisory Council has been critical to accomplishing these goals and are examples of how tax dollars can be leveraged to build community in our parks.

CUF and Corryville community councils have objected to the Burnet Woods proposal. Clifton Town Meeting should join them in urging the Park Board to reexamine its decision. Every effort should be made to repurpose a site that is not near residences, does not replace existing green space, is walkable, has parking, serves multiple neighborhoods, and truly exemplifies Cincinnati Parks’ mission "to build better lives and a better community." Cincinnati Parks is throwing precious dollars at the wrong project in the wrong neighborhood.

Rama Kasturi lives in Clifton, served as chair of the Clifton Town Meeting Parks Committee from 2014-19 and is the author of "Four Seasons in Burnet Woods."