Heber City dogs have long been restricted to a single off-leash area at Muirfield Park, but a committee recommends creating more options for the four-legged locals.
At a city council meeting Tuesday, May 19, an animal policy committee suggested designating four parks as dog-friendly if owners keep their pets leashed.
Cove Park is in the Coyote Ridge neighborhood, Eagle Park and Mill Road Estates Park each sit along 750 East, and the Private Kay Pete Murdock Jones Park is south of downtown near Daniels Canyon Elementary School.
The committee also proposed creating fenced, off-leash dog areas at the Private Kay Pete Murdock Jones Park and Jordan Park, which is near Red Ledges.
Assistant City Manager Mark Smedley said designating more dog-friendly parks would require clearly posting the rules and ensuring they’re followed.
“If you want to go this route – which I think the data would show that the public would support us in – please consider funding adequately enough to provide enforcement for it, and to provide money so that we can clean up and help our parks people take care of it,” he said.
The Heber City Council didn’t make any policy changes at its meeting Tuesday. Instead, it will discuss the committee’s suggestions again later this spring.
Smedley said the committee does not recommend allowing dogs in Main Street Park on a regular basis.
“The consensus of the recommendation is it’s too tight, too many people – wonderful events – and we want to expand elsewhere,” he said.
However, for one morning only, Heber City residents are invited to bring their pets to the Main Street Park on Saturday, May 23, for “Dogs Day in the Park.”
Councilmember Morgan Murdock said the event is a chance for the city to experiment with allowing dogs in parks.
“This is sort of an opportunity to kick this off and just invite dog owners out to have some fun, get some feedback from them, and also make them aware that we are looking at this policy and hopefully opening it up for more dog-friendly parks in the future,” he said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” May 20.
The Community Alliance for Main Street is hosting the event from 10 a.m. to noon. It will feature a dog parade, costume contest, a K-9 demonstration by the police department and more.
Heber City is a financial supporter of KPCW.
