Midday Wednesday, March 9, a Change.org petition in support of a Wilton dog park launched on social media. Created by a citizens’ group calling itself the Wilton Dog Park Committee, the petition is titled, “Town Hall: Help Us Bring a Dog Park to Wilton.”
The petition states that the group formed “due to overwhelming public demand.” In less than 12 hours, the petition had secured 117 signatures from supporters.
The effort to campaign for a Wilton dog park has been tried at least once before, but it was derailed; the petition states that the committee “has been resurrected for the purpose of finally creating a beautiful dog park as the newest reason to love living and working in Wilton.”
According to the petition, the committee has identified Schenck’s Island in Wilton Center as the ideal location to create the park. Saying the spot would be advantageous on several levels—”for the town, businesses and residents alike”—the petition authors say a dog park would “generate a significant influx of residents into the heart of Wilton Center, every day, all year long.”
There are several issues that would need to be researched, least of all who would pay for creating it and maintaining it. Acknowledging that the work is in the early stages, the group members have commented on social media posts that they are in the process of doing legwork and research, including contacting other towns that currently have parks where dogs can be unleashed.
The write in the petition: “The Wilton Dog Park Committee is hard at work compiling the necessary information, sponsors and support it needs to make this dream happen – but we can’t do it without your help. So please SIGN OUR PETITION to let Town Hall and the committees involved in the decision making process know that the Residents of Wilton want them to do whatever is necessary to make the Wilton Dog Park a reality.”
According to a webpage for a Newtown dog park, there are more than 40 towns in CT that now have dog parks. Several surrounding communities have such spots for dogs and owners, including Westport, New Canaan, Rowayton, Stamford, Norwalk, and Ridgefield, which is currently considering opening a second dog park. A similar effort to open a dog park in Weston recently has been launched on Facebook.
First selectman Lynne Vanderslice acknowledged that the town is aware of the committee’s efforts. At Monday night’s Board of Selectmen meeting, she told the other board members that the dormant Council on Public Facilities has been resurrected for several reasons, among them the possibility that the town would be faced with just such a request for a dog park.
The petition can be found on change.org.