This petition, supported by the undersigned, is directed to the Chicago Park District Managers, Park District decision makers, and other interested City Officials to show community support for the construction of a Dog Park in the area of Lincoln Park behind 5649 N Sheridan Road and West of Lake Shore Drive.
Chicago city ordinance mandates dogs are kept on a leash in public areas for the protection of fellow residents, as well as the dogs themselves. Several Dog Friendly Areas have been constructed over the years to provide safe places for dogs to gather and play legally \"off-leash\". Currently, the nearest dog friendly area is Margate Dog Park which is approximately one mile south.
We are asking the Chicago Park District to build a Dog Friendly Area for the following reasons:
(1) There is not a facility in our area to accommodate safe, off-leash activity. Chicago Park Districts Code requires dogs to be on a leash at all times. This limits the amount of exercise a dog can receive. Many dog owners will be ticketed in order to allow their dogs the chance to run off leash in relative safety.
(2) Groups of dog owners and their dogs help deter crime and frequently act as the eyes and ears for the police. Such a facility would resolve the ongoing angst between dog owners, non-owners, police and park authorities regarding dog access to area Play Lots and several areas of Lincoln Park. Such a facility would increase park utilization and increase interaction among families in the community.
(3) Exercise and socializing dogs is very beneficial to the community, since it makes them less skittish and mitigates aggressive behavior when meeting other dogs and people.
Once designated, the undersigned dog owners who utilize the Dog Friendly Area understand and will obey the Rules & Regulations outlined by the Chicago Park District for Dog Friendly Areas and the area will be maintained to uphold the sanitation standards which the City has set forth to ensure that the area is clean and well maintained.
The Undersigned