A lesson learned
Today is the last day of school vacation week in Massachusetts.
I was speaking with David Renna, Director of Animal Control, yesterday, and learned that he received a complaint on Monday (Presidents Day) from people who had taken their children to play in the snow in a city park. When they got to the park, other families were enjoying off-leash recreation in the park. The people with the children reported that they asked the dog owners to control their dogs, so that they could bring their children into the park, and the dog owners refused to cooperate.
When schools are closed, the ordinary schedule of park usage is affected. Whereas, on an ordinary week day, parks may be otherwise deserted during the day except for off-leash recreation, during school vacation children may be playing in city parks at all hours during the day.
The unfortunate fact for families with dogs in Somerville is that, currently, off-leash recreation is not permitted in city parks. When Somerville establishes safe and legal off-leash recreational areas, we will have places where we can enjoy off-leash recreation without competing with other park uses.
Until then: Beware of children playing!