Hello Tammy and Nicole,

I am a resident of Nob Hill, and like most dog owners, I walk my dogs around the neighborhood every day.  Dog walking is a way to get exercise, meet neighbors, improve public safety by keeping eyes on the street, along with being a necessary part of dog ownership.  Nob Hill is a particularly great neighborhood for walking due to the pleasant residential streets and scattering of parks. 

There are no dog parks in this neighborhood - residents would have to get in their cars and drive to find one in another part of the city.  This creates many issues, which I'm sure are obvious - traffic, pollution, wasted time, and the big one that continues to pop up is complaints about off leash dogs at the neighborhood parks. 

During our route we often walk through Hidden Park (McDuffie Park).  This park is a favorite of the neighborhood, and I often stop to chat with other dog owners that I have known from many years of park use.  We let our dogs run around to work off their energy, and while the dogs play, the owners chat.  It's a great experience for everyone, and there are rarely any issues. 

Based on the signage at the park today, it appears that some members of the public do have an issue with this peaceful use of the park. This conflict between park users has been an ongoing issue for many years, and it's time for some proactive, positive resolution.

The fact is, the majority of Hidden Park users are dog walkers.  I challenge the city to have someone do a study: sit in the park and count the number and type of (human) users on any given day.  The majority of Hidden Park users are dog owners and their dogs.  Parks should be oriented for their primary use. Clearly the residents want this area for walking their dogs, and many if not most of them would prefer to do that off leash, as dogs generally need more running around than their owners are able to do.

It has been suggested by some local residents to set aside half the park area for a dog park.  This is a great solution to an ongoing problem that the city has done little to address.  It would be easy to add fencing across half the park, or fence an inner area to maintain an outer walking track.  This area should continue to be watered and maintained as it is today - the issue with many city dog parks is lack of shade and a dusty hot environment, which is another reason why owners choose to walk their dogs in comfortable, shaded parks.  

To reiterate, this is a problem that has not been solved by signage or fines.  There are a huge number of dog owners in the area; there are no dog parks to serve them; they are doing the best they can with what the city has provided. Dogs are like family to many people; expecting residents to drive somewhere every day to exercise is a non-starter. 

Listen to the majority of park users and set aside an area at Hidden Park for their use.  

Thank you,

Tandi Hufnagel

Hermosa Dr NE