Here’s something to woof about: A shiny new dog park is opening this weekend in Port St. Lucie.
“It’s something citizens have been asking for, and asking for especially in the St. Lucie West area,” said Mike Kendrick, parks administrator. On Saturday, Aug. 3, the city’s third dog park will open at McChesney Park, 1585 SW Cashmere Blvd.,
“It’ll be a 10-to-15-minute ceremony,” said Kendrick, starting at 8:30 a.m. “There’ll be some refreshments and giveaways.”
The new park (“just shy of one acre,” said Kendrick) is divided into three sections – each with its own entrance. One is for smaller breeds and dogs weighing 30 pounds and less. The second is for medium-sized dogs, 30 to 60 pounds. The third section is, of course, for the big dogs. Kendrick said owners of medium-sized dogs are welcome to take them in with the larger dogs if they choose.
The park will be open from 8 a.m. to sunset daily. All canine visitors must be current on vaccinations and licenses. Dogs that are in heat, or are acting or are known to be aggressive, are prohibited. Kendrick said, to his knowledge, no dog at a Port St. Lucie dog park has attacked a person, although it’s possible there have been incidents that went unreported.
“We have had dogs that get overly excited and bite each other,” he said.
By the way, when that happens, “it’s on the owners,” Kendrick said. “They have to square up and take care of their animals.”
When owners arrive at any city dog park, the animals must be on leashes. At the new McChesney park, dog owners must walk them leashed on a sidewalk that meets Americans with Disabilities Act standards. Each dog-park section entrance has two gates. Owners can enter the first, unleash their dogs, then open the second to let them run.
“Once they exit (the park), they have to be on a leash,” Kendrick said. “That’s a city ordinance.”
Each section has shaded seating that accommodates dogs and humans, and water fountains with spigots for both. They also have obstacles for the animals.
“They will have the bridge as well,” Kendrick said. “Each one will have a tunnel. Each has their own fire hydrant.”
The hydrant isn’t really an obstacle. It’s for … never mind. But, speaking about that.
“There’s a doggie depot station in each independent section,” Kendrick said. The stations are supplied with baggies; owners must clean up after their animals relieve themselves.
“They also have a small ring (dogs) can jump through,” Kendrick said.
The city eyed St. Lucie West for its third dog park since at least as early 2018. The City Council started talking about building one at the St. Lucie West Services District’s Lake Harvey stormwater area. At the time the district was looking to go in with the city to build a passive-use park there. The district’s charter doesn’t include building and maintaining parks. A lot of people asked for some sort of park at Lake Harvey, so the district sought a partnership with the city.
It turned out the city’s proposal was a dog that wouldn’t hunt. Lake Harvey’s neighbors said the city was barking up the wrong tree, because of … well, barking. The city abandoned that plan. The St. Lucie Services District Board of Supervisors would have had to approve it, and its members made clear that with resident opposition, that was a no-go. The district, which has properties around St. Lucie West, worked with the city to find a suitable alternative. Kendrick said the city-owned McChesney turned out to be the best location. In addition to being set away from homes, there’s already a park with fields and a playground there.
“We had existing parking, a restroom and sidewalks,” Kendrick said. The dog park is about 1,000 feet from the playground.
The city’s first dog park was built at Lyngate Park. “Lyngate – it’s so overused,” Kendrick said. “It’s insane.”
The city already plans a fourth dog park, and Kendrick said more will surely follow. Dog parks are a constant request on any citizen survey and at any citizen summit the city holds.
Of course, there’s a reason Port St. Lucie residents love their dogs so much. It’s a scientific fact that dog owners know, if only intuitively: Dogs really are humanity’s best friend; not figuratively – literally. Of all the animals that share the planet with us, dogs are our best friends. They’re genetically engineered to be.
Dogs – canis lupus familiaris – didn’t exist until about 40,000 years ago. Genetic studies have shown that all dog breeds root back to an extinct canid species paleontologists and other scientists believe had less fear of humans than others. The widespread scientific consensus is that humans figured out that the canids could be attracted to stay with them and accept training to help with tasks such as hunting. Those canids that best responded to humans’ needs and wants were favored for feeding and breeding.
In other words, dogs are engineered by their long relationship with us and selective breeding to read humans and aim to help and please us. That also makes them perfect for helping people with visible and invisible disabilities and disorders, which is why dogs were the first and remain by far the largest group of service animals.
There are a couple don’ts for the human visitors to any of the city’s dog parks.
“Bringing in food and smoking is prohibited,” Kendrick said.
There are sections outside the dog parks for smoking. The prohibited food is because canids are social eaters who instinctively see food in humans’ hands as for the pack. The prohibited smoking is for humans and dogs. However bad tobacco smoke smells to most people, dogs have much stronger olfactory senses. “There is no selling of products in the dog park,” Kendrick said.
People take bathroom breaks, too.
“You cannot leave your dog unattended,” Kendrick said. “It must be attended. At the restrooms, there’s a leash pole. You can leash your dog, use the restroom and walk back out.”
The city designed and built the new dog park for about $150,000.