Shoreline's first off-leash dogpark opens this Saturday

And everyone is invited to come to the ribbon-cutting ceremony! According to an email from the City of Shoreline, Shoreline residents collectively own over 12,000 dogs according to estimates by King County Animal Control. Beginning this Saturday these Shoreline dogs and their owners will have a place for romping and socializing as the City of Shoreline opens the first of two planned off-leash dog areas.

Join the celebration Saturday, April 25, at 10:00 a.m. at Shoreview Park as the City of Shoreline dedicates and opens the Shoreview Off-leash Dog Area. The dog area located at 320 Innis Arden Way is to the east and up the hill from the Shoreview tennis courts, in the southeast corner of the park. It can be accessed from the Shoreview parking lot off Innis Arden Drive or from the Shoreline Community College parking lot by entering through the driveway that is furthest west. Then follow the signs.

For more information, visit the Off-Leash Dog Area project page or contact Parks Project Coordinator Maureen Colaizzi at (206) 801-2603 or mcolaizzi@shorelinewa.gov, or visit the ShoreDog.org website.

Photo by Peter Giger

Shoredog work party a (muddy) success!

Last Saturday volunteers from ShoreDog, Shoreline's off-leash dog park group, spent a few hours in the soggy, muddy morning rain getting the Shoreview site ready for its April opening. They dug out blackberry vines that might injure puppy paws, and cut back weeds and brush that could overgrow the fenceline. Even though it was wet and cold, the volunteers got plenty of work done, and the site should be opening on schedule in April!



For more information, or to join ShoreDog, please click on the link below.

Link to ShoreDog website.
Link to City of Shoreline information about approved off-leash sites.

Shown in the top photo:
Maggie, Geoff, Kate, the Jacobsons, Sandra, Nan and Erika

Bottom photo: Shoredog volunteers hard at work

Shoredog meeting recap

As you may know from previous posts, we have a local group dedicated to establishing off-leash areas for dogs here in Shoreline: ShoreDog. The monthly ShoreDog meeting took place at the Shoreline library today; here's a recap of what transpired.

New officers were voted in: Kate Pineo was elected vice president of Development, Maggie Dean as Volunteer Coordinator, Mina Williams as Communication/Information Officer, and Sonya Reasor as Assistant Secretary to Shari Tracey, who will be resigning shortly to run for city council, at which time Sonya (that's me!) will become Secretary. Shari will retain a post on the ShoreDog Board of Directors. Below you can see a photo of the entire board.

From top to bottom, left to right: Maggie Dean, Volunteer Coordinator; Erika Seather, President; Mina Williams, Communication/Information Officer; Sonya Reasor, Assistant Secretary; Kate Pineo, Vice President, Development; Terri Fenn, Treasurer; Shari Tracey, Secretary.

During the meeting, other topics were discussed, including the new ShoreDog logo (shown above), proposed off-leash area rules, and future work parties at the Shoreview site.

More information about ShoreDog and the approved off-leash site, which will be opening soon, is available on their website, here.

October 1st deadline for off-leash area comments!

Shoreline dog owners: did you know that in 2006 Shoreline residents passed a Parks Bond measure designating $150,000 for the creation of an off-leash dog park system? And two years later, we still have no off-leash areas.

There are some 12,000 dogs in Shoreline. And while all of our neighboring communities have off-leash dog areas, Shoreline does not (even though we have the bond money to build one). Off-leash parks allow dogs to socialize with each other, and learn to interact better with other dogs and with humans. They give elderly and disabled folks a place to safely exercise their companions, and let dogs of all sizes get the kind of fun, intense exercise that keeps them healthy and living a long time. And they're a great place for humans to meet and make friends, too!

Local group Shoredog.org is fighting to get the city to create off-leash parks in Shoreline, where dogs can run and play and socialize. But it's important to the process that the city hear from you, the public. There are six potential sites that have been identified; you can see them in this document from the city. You can join Shoredog's mailing list for updates and more information about the process by clicking here. Or, click here to send an email to Shoreline's city council members.

Additionally, to make sure your comments are heard, please take a moment to contact the park planner:

Maureen Colaizzi (206) 801-2603 or (206) 546-0232 mcolaizzi@ci.shoreline.wa.us or pks@ci.shoreline.wa.us

Link to more information about the off-leash project here.
Link to Shoredog site here.