Kane'ohe dog park proposal opposed
By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer
KANE'OHE — Residents living near a proposed dog park on Kane'ohe Bay Drive have launched a campaign to oppose fencing an area in their community for canine recreation.
• What: Yacht Club Terrace community meeting • When: 6:30 p.m. today • Where: Yacht Club Terrace pool • • • • What: Windward Dog Park Coalition meeting • When: 2-3:30 p.m. Sunday • Where: Kea'alu Neighborhood Park
Residents say they are considering a lawsuit, circulating petitions and calling city officials to oppose building an off-leash dog enclosure at Kea'alu Neighborhood Park, across the street from Kaneohe Yacht Club.
"We are in shock," said Phyllis Toguchi, a resident of Yacht Club Terrace, which surrounds the park. "One minute it's a thought, and the next minute we hear it's a done deal."
Toguchi said residents believe the project will move forward and have called a community meeting today.
However, the city and a coalition that is looking for a site for a dog park in Windward O'ahu, say the project has not been approved.
The mayor suggested Kea'alu Park and told people interested to look at it and talk to neighbors, but no decision has been made, said city spokeswoman Carol Costa.
The Windward Dog Park Coalition has been gathering community concerns and hopes to address them before any decision is made about using the area, said Christel Olson, coalition coordinator.
"We realize there are a lot of valid concerns," Olson said. "This is not a done deal and we want to open a dialogue about this."
Members of the coalition went to Yacht Club Terrace on Sunday to deliver information about the dog park and listen to any concerns people had, she said. Members spoke to about 100 households and left material with the others, Olson said.
Of the 100 spoken to, at least five were against the project, she said. Of the remainder, about one-third liked the idea, one-third didn't care one way or the other and one-third wanted more information, Olson said.
The biggest concern was about parking, since only on-street parking is available, she said. Other concerns included how the dog park would affect soccer play, whether dog waste can be a health hazard and what the facility would look like.
Residents have other concerns as well, said Cy Gillette, president of the Yacht Club Terrace Apartment Owners Association.
"There's always odor ... and secondly it will bring people to our place that normally wouldn't come," Gillette said.
Resident Dottie Alverson said everyone in the complex she has spoken to is against the dog park. Some people are talking about taking drastic measures, Alverson said. "We need to get a lawsuit ready, get a lawyer," Alverson said.
John Shiarella, a resident, said the area is widely used by children to play and practice soccer and baseball. Shiarella said he would hate to see the area fenced.
"No matter what they said or did, they couldn't convince me that I would like to have a dog park over there," he said.
Olson said the coalition is researching answers for the concerns raised and hopes to answer all questions to residents' satisfaction. The coalition wants to build a trusting relationship with the community and it's unfortunate rumors are spreading, she said.
"We don't want a dog park here if it's going to be a bad situation," Olson said.
Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.
