Battle Over Oakland Lake Merritt Dog Parks Heats Up
OAKLAND (KCBS) – The Oakland City Parks Commission Wednesday takes up a heated Lake Merritt dog-park battle. It will move forward with one of the two plans for future dog parks at the lake, or possibly drop the idea altogether.
The commission already gave preliminary approval to one plan in December. It calls for a half-acre fenced dog park at the corner of MacArthur Boulevard and Lakeshore Avenuein what's known as Astro Park. Dog owners have pushed for years for a dog park in that location.
KCBS' Margie Shafer Reports:
However, neighbors contend that the lawn is a rare and precious slice of open space in a congested part of town. Opponents of the Astro Park plan have come up with an alternate site: the old police horses stables near Children's Fairyland.
Each plan would cost at least $35,000.
Dogs are currently banned, even on the leash, from the lake.
Oakland has five dog parks and strict no-dog rules in city parks. By comparison, San Francisco has 17 dog parks.
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