Boston Dog-Owner Groups in the News
The Boston Globe is running a nice story today that features community-based initiatives for off-leash recreational areas in Dorchester, in Boston Common and in Charlestown ("Dog park plan has bark, and bite," by Meghan Irons).
The article focuses on the efforts of the Friends of Ronan Park to address crime in the their neighborhood, Fields Corner in Dorchester, by getting neighbors who own dogs out on the streets. Specifically, the group is working with the City of Boston to build a dog recreation space in the park.
“This is considered a crime hot spot in Boston,’’ said Paige Davis, who lives near Ronan Park, where the dog run will be located. “People who are out walking their dogs are going to meet everyone using the park. If you want to know what’s going in the neighborhood, it’s the dog owners who know everything.’’
The Boston Dog Owners Group and the Friends of the Charlestown Dog Parks make similar arguments about the happy correlation between off-leash recreational areas and deterring crime. They are working for dog recreation spaces in Boston Common and in Paul Revere Park, respectively.
In addition to community-building benefits, off-leash recreational areas deter crime in their neighborhoods. As we have seen in Somerville, now that there is an off-leash recreational area at Nunziato Field, there are people with dogs in the park—and out in the neighborhood—365 days a year at all hours when the park is open.
The City of Somerville has plans to construct two new off-leash recreational areas: one in East Somerville and one near Inman Square.