SEATTLE — It’s good news for dog owners.
Seattle Parks and Recreation now has a short list of nine locations for two new dog parks, according to a study released Wednesday morning.
Parks and Rec is planning to add five new off-leash areas across the city by 2028. There are 15 existing off-leash areas within Seattle city limits, and three more are already in the works at Smith Cove Park, Georgetown Flume, and South Park Community Center.
Census Data in 2021 found Seattle has more dogs (153,000) than children (107,000). And that number has been on the rise for the last decade.
With this increase in dog ownership, there has been a call for more dog parks. In 2022, Seattle Parks and Recreation began examining 32 sites to determine locations suitable for off-leash parks. Here’s what they found.
When looking at the 32 potential sites, Parks and Rec used four criteria to determine eligibility: No conflicts with existing parks and park use that could pose a safety issue, not on land designated as a Seattle landmark or historical place, not in a natural area or environmentally-critical area, and must have approval from the site’s owner. Other factors considered were proximity to other off-leash parks, site accessibility and parking, neighborhood impact, and terrain.
Based on these criteria, Parks and Rec dwindled the list from 32 sites to nine. These nine “preferred” sites do not include the three off-leash parks already in the works as part of Seattle’s Capital Improvement Program. The nine sites still being considered for two new parks are Discovery Park North Parking Lot, View Ridge Playfield, East Queen Anne Playground, Ravenna Park, Powell Barnett Park, West Seattle Stadium, Brighton Playfield, Lincoln Park, and Othello Park.
Seattle Parks and Recreation received funds from the Metropolitan Park District to build two more off-leash parks and plan a third by 2028. Parks and Rec would need to request further funds if it wished to construct more than those two off-leash parks in the allocated time frame.
While many dog owners in Seattle support more off-leash parks, there are several challenges Parks and Rec faces. In 2017, 26% of dog owners admitted they exercise their dogs illegally. Some Seattle residents are concerned that off-leash parks would take green space away from other projects, pose safety concerns for children, increase pollutants, and disturb neighborhood life.
Seattle Parks and Recreation has an online survey residents can take to share their thoughts on the proposed locations. The survey closes July, 31.