HOLMES BEACH – Frequent dog park users Renee Ferguson, Nicky Hunt and Tom Evans shared their park-related concerns and desires with the mayor and city commissioners on Dec. 16.
They did so during the public comment portion of a city commission meeting that didn’t include the dog park as an agenda item.
Ferguson, Hunt and Evans were among those who previously shared their dog park concerns with the city’s Parks and Beautification Committee on Dec. 3, with Commissioner Dan Diggins also present.
Mayor Judy Titsworth and the five commissioners support maintaining and improving the city-owned Scentral Park, but they hold differing opinions as to who should guide the planning efforts.
As a result of the Dec. 16 discussion, Commission Chair Carol Whitmore plans to schedule a dog park-specific commission work session in January to allow for additional public input and commission discussion.
Commissioners Steve Oelfke and Jessica Patel support a January work session. Commissioners Dan Diggins and Terry Schaefer think the Parks and Beautification Committee and the dog park users should develop a plan before a work session is scheduled.
Public input
When addressing the commission, Ferguson said the original dog park opened in 2013 after a group of residents asked the city to dedicate a small piece of land for a dog park. The original Scentral Park was located just beyond the outfield of the city-owned baseball field in the City Field recreational complex that includes a soccer field, pickleball courts, tennis courts and a basketball court.
Ferguson said the original dog park users paid for tree plantings and other amenities and the public works department did an excellent job of maintaining the park. She said when the city decided to relocate Scentral Park to its current location in 2018, the park users were told the new location would be as good or better than the original location. She doesn’t believe that happened.
“We were promised shady trees, grass, irrigation and lights,” she said.
Ferguson said the dog park is used every day and there are often 40 or more people and dogs there socializing during peak morning and evening periods.
Ferguson said the city has poured a lot of money into its other recreational amenities but hasn’t made similar dog park expenditures. She also noted the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau promotes the Holmes Beach dog park as tourist amenity.
Anna Maria resident Nicky Hunt said she’s visited the dog park almost daily for the past five years.
“While I appreciate the facility, in truth it is a sad sight and not something the Island should be proud of. It would appear that almost no money has been spent maintaining it, let alone improving it,” she said.
Hunt questioned whether the mayor, commissioners and city staff members ever use the dog park and she said they should listen to those who do.
Regarding the recent tree plantings, Hunt said, “We were given small trees and told nothing bigger was available. I find that hard to be true when you only have to look at the trees being brought in by the landscapers doing the ‘McMansions.’ We ask you to work with us. We want and deserve a beautiful park.”
She also noted dogs aren’t allowed on the Island beaches.
Anna Maria resident Tom Evans said, “We just want a seat at the table. We don’t see any plans in place and we would like to work with you guys so everybody can be happy. I really hate the fact that Longboat Key has a beautiful dog park and we don’t.”
City officials comment
Whitmore said the commission needs to know how much the city currently spends on the dog park and dog park expenditures should be included as specific line items in next year’s budget. She also suggested forming a citizen-led, non-profit organization to raise funds for the dog park.
“We have to have a plan,” she added.
Schaefer said it makes sense to listen to the dog park users and he noted some of the city’s other recreational amenities were funded by donations.
Oelfke said he wants the city to have an excellent dog park and there needs to be a plan and city funding for it. Patel agreed and said dog park users helped fund the original dog park and they shouldn’t be asked to do it again.
Diggins said the dog park users and the Parks and Beautification Committee members should devise a plan to present for commission consideration.
“I 100% don’t agree,” Whitmore responded. “We set the budget. We’re the ones that set policy. We haven’t had a chance to listen to the citizens of the dog park. When I went there the other day, I thought it looked terrible. I hadn’t been there in years.”
Whitmore said the dog park users’ differing demands and requests pull the mayor in several different directions.
Titsworth said some dog park users want grass and others want sand. She said the irrigation system for the large dog area was recently modified so it’s now completely independent of the baseball field irrigation system. She said irrigation to the baseball field and the dog park were cut off when City Field served as a hurricane debris collection site after the 2024 hurricanes. She now wants to see if the repaired irrigation system helps the existing dog park grass recover.
“We are in our dormant season for grass. If I resod that whole field, that dog park’s going to be closed for season,” Titsworth said. “If it doesn’t recover with the irrigation and the fertilizer, we will relook at it and see if we can find some money to resod it.”
She noted FEMA paid to resod the areas damaged while serving as a hurricane debris staging site.
Regarding the new dog park trees, Titsworth said the city bought the biggest and most appropriate trees available.
Titsworth said when the dog park concerns were recently brought to her attention, she placed it on the agenda for the Parks and Beautification Committee’s next meeting; and the dog park will remain on the committee meeting agendas until the majority of the dog park users are satisfied.
In response to previous requests, Titsworth said the city placed concrete pads under the benches and relocated some benches, expanded the dog washing area and ensured the dugouts had electricity and fans.
