Most of the proposed improvements in the draft master plan for Rio Vista are completely in keeping with its needs as a natural resource park. We’re grateful to Tucson Parks and Recreation for addressing so many stakeholder concerns.
But one proposed element — a “potential dog park” — puts the integrity of Rio Vista’s ecosystem, as well as visitors’ enjoyment of it, at risk. We need your immediate help to prevent this irreversible step backward for the park and its wild and human communities.
Photo credit: Scott Olmstead.
Friends of Rio Vista has developed a position statement on the proposal to install a dog park at Rio Vista. It’s based on the comments of many park supporters and is endorsed by the RillitoBend Neighborhood Advocacy Group of the RillitoBend Neighborhood Association.
Quick Summary of the Position Statement
Not only would the construction of a dog park at Rio Vista be inconsistent with Tucson Parks’ stated mission, pose health and safety hazards, and increase the potential for liability and conflict, it would remain very costly to maintain for decades to come.
The statement expands on the following 17 arguments against the dog-park proposal:
- Incompatible use of a natural resource park
- Construction costs and the capital budget
- Maintenance costs and the annual budget
- Not a solution to the problem of off-leash dogs in the park
- Site size conducive to aggression and injury
- Current opposition to a dog park at Rio Vista
- Previous community rejection of dog-park proposals at Rio Vista
- Increased traffic
- Parking congestion
- Distance of proposed sites from parking
- Dust, feces, urine, trash
- Noise pollution
- Risk of runaways
- Potential to lose the privilege of walking even leashed dogs in the park
- Mapping a “potential dog park” as a future liability
- Alternatives readily available
- Possibility of a future community dog park
A dog park at Rio Vista would sacrifice the irreplaceable for something that could be installed anywhere else with fewer costs, both tangible and intangible. We urge Tucson Parks to reconsider this item in the master plan and to remove both “potential dog park” locations from the map.
If you’ve been thinking that a dog park at Rio Vista would reduce the impact of canine use, please read and reconsider. If you’ve been thinking that a dog park would be beneficial to you and your dog(s), please read and reconsider.