Clayton residents have been howling, barking, and growling over the idea of a dog park for over a decade and it does not look like it’s going to stop anytime soon.  Indeed, despite a recent setback with respect to a proposed dog park in Concordia Seminary, residents continue to sniff out other possible locations in Clayton.

Today, dog parks have become the new social amenities of communities across the country.  There is overwhelming community support in Clayton due to the benefits of a dog park as a place to not only let dogs off the leash, but chat with neighbors and build a stronger community.  University City, Maplewood, Creve Coeur, and Maryland Heights are several St. Louis County municipalities that have dog parks.

“The interest in dog parks is nationwide,” Patty DeForrest, the Director of the Clayton Parks and Recreation, said.  “It’s not just a Clayton phenomenon.  It’s a phenomenon in cities across the country right now.”

In a recent citywide Parks and Recreation community survey, 45 percent of Clayton residents think a dog park would be a good amenity and addition to the city.  Such a dog park would require approximately an acre and a half of land as well as suitable fencing, water fountains, benches, and landscaping, costing in the range of $60,000 to $80,000 (which dog park advocates plan to raise through fundraising).  In addition, subsequent operational expenses for the dog park would be paid by dog park memberships, which would be limited to approximately 200 families.

The reality of a dog park in Clayton, however, hinges on the success of finding an appropriate location for the park.

“The idea of a dog park in Clayton is not going to go away,” DeForrest said.  “It’s really a movement…but it’s a challenge in Clayton, where there is limited land.”

Over the past few years, the Parks and Recreation Commission has discussed several locations including Wydown Park, Taylor Park, Shaw Park, and Oak Knoll Park.  Yet, none of those parks proved suitable for a dog park.

More recently, Clayton dog park advocates pushed for the dog park to be on the grounds of Concordia Seminary in the DeMun neighborhood.  Consideration of this location was prompted after the Seminary indicated it was willing to lease a southeastern portion of their land for a dog park.

For many residents in favor of a dog park, the proposed dog park seemed to perfect to be true as Concordia was offering to increase the amount of Clayton park space and provide additional parking.  However, for a majority of the DeMun neighborhood residents the proposal was unacceptable.

Bill McClellan, a DeMun resident for nearly 30 years, was deeply upset by the proposed dog park and supported the neighborhood’s organized opposition.

“[The Seminary] is kind of the face of the neighborhood, a lovely pastoral setting, and all of a sudden people from outside the neighborhood want to come in and put a six foot fence all around an acre and a half of it,” McClellan said.

Furthermore, the Seminary is truly a beloved park space for the DeMun residents that is taken advantage of year round whether its kids sledding or families having a picnic.

“The seminary is a great neighbor and that’s really important,” McClellan said.  “I mean it’s wonderful to live near the Seminary, but most importantly, they let people wander their grounds…This big park, which is really private property, the Seminary treats it as if it is a public park.  If you were to come out here in the good weather, you would see people sun bathing, throwing frisbees around, and fathers throwing baseballs to their kids.”

Within a short time, a majority of the DeMun residents signed a petition in opposition to the proposed dog park.  In response, the Parks and Recreation Commission sent out a survey to the residents and businesses in close proximity to the proposed dog park to gather further data concerning the proposal.

The results of the survey found that over 70 percent of residents and businesses were opposed to the proposed dog park because of the increased noise, traffic, and reduction of the beautiful Seminary park space.

In general, dog parks are often not located near neighborhoods, but rather, are tucked away in industrial parks or by highways.

“I think people who are opposed to them generally are opposed to them not in concept but in their backyard,” DeForrest said.

In the end, due to the overwhelming neighborhood opposition to the proposition, the Seminary retracted its original proposal, ending discussions of a dog park on the Seminary’s east grounds.

Despite this setback, the search for a suitable location continues by dog park supporters and the Parks and Recreation Commission.

“We explored the option of Concordia…[and] having heard from the neighbors, we absolutely respect their opinions and we’re looking for alternatives,” Deb Dubin, one of the Clayton residents spearheading the community dog park movement, said.  “We are looking for leadership from the Board of Alderman and our unelected officials of the Parks and Recreation Commission to make this a reality.  So, working together, we are turning our attention to other potential locations.”

At the Jan. 3 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, several residents came forth with a proposal to examine Shaw Park and the acre-sized area behind the South Shelter at the end of Shaw Park Drive – the only location for a dog park in Clayton that has no adjacent neighbors.

Yet, Shaw Park is the center of nearly all of Clayton’s recreational activities with the baseball fields, tennis courts, Aquatic Center, ice rink, and several playgrounds.  Consequently, DeForrest has some concerns about also squeezing in a dog park, which was not found to be a significant addition for the park in the future in the last Master Plan.

“When we last looked at Shaw Park in 2007 during the Master Plan, it was felt that Shaw Park is already an over-programmed area,” DeForrest said.  “With a dog park, you would have to fence it in and take an acre and a half out of usage for everybody else…[Especially] on a Saturday during baseball season there’s hundreds of kids coming to Shaw Park and to bring a bunch of dogs to that site isn’t necessarily a good mix.”

At the same time, a dog park at the southwestern area of Shaw Park would not upset any neighbors and would increase community usage and appreciation of Shaw Park.

“I think Shaw Park is a great idea,” Dubin said.  “However, I think it’s also a potential idea and what we need to do is examine it a little further, but I’m cautiously optimistic…I’m still hopefully that the dog park will become a reality in Clayton for the community to enjoy.”