SUN CITY – With 180 petitions signed, Carole Gillham, N.21, is preparing to approach Sun City’s Board of Directors once again about the idea of starting a dog park in Sun City.
Gillham, a Canine Companion for Independence volunteer puppy raiser, said she suggested the idea to the board on two separate occasions, and her offer has been turned down twice.
Now she is looking to gather even more signatures and complete research on dog parks in order to offer a stronger presentation to the board.
“I’m trying to form a committee to look at all these issues that have to be addressed, and reasonably so, and what we would like to do then is put together a proposal and present it to the board,” she said.
Though the current board has not yet heard Gillham’s case, Board president Jerry Kirschner served on the previous board that received her proposal.
“My advice to this group of residents is that before they even petition the board, they should do their homework as to where an appropriate park could be built, how much property it would take, how much would it cost, and the big one: how much would it cost to maintain it, as this would then have to be supported by the people who live here through their property assessments?” he said.
Gillham intends to find answers to these questions based on research she is doing on dog parks in other Del Webb communities across the country.
She also wants to get the message out about how dogs and pets benefit seniors through companionship and emotional support.
“I’m not going to say I’m for it, I’m not going to say I’m against it. I happen to be one who loves animals, and I love to see them run free. But I’m not the only one who lives here; this is a very large community,” Kirschner, who owns two dogs, said.
At its most basic, a dog park is a designated, fenced area of public space used for dog owners to let their dogs roam without a leash. Dog parks also typically feature tools to pick up animal droppings and trash bins.
Additional items like benches, ponds, and shading may also be included. Gillham said she and other Sun City residents visit Bark Park in Lake in the Hills, but would like something closer to home.
