Residents of Colorado community fight back to keep open space dog park off-leash

Sun, sleet, or snow, Westminster Hills Open Space has become a year-round place where dogs and their owners can let loose.

"(I) just love it out here," said Tami Kramer. "I can be having the worst day in the world and come out here and all my troubles go away."

"It's a wonderful place, especially being off leash," said Gary St. Onge, who also visits the park from out of town.

Kramer has been taking her golden retriever to the 420-acre off leash park nearly every day for years.

"To see him so happy and romping and rolling in the grass and the snow and chasing the ball," said Kramer, "This is really heartbreaking to think that it could be taken away from us."

Now, that portion of the 1,000-acre open space might be reduced in size, following a year's worth of studying and assessment done of the area.

"We found out maybe three weeks ago, through the banners that were put here at the entrance to the park," said St. Onge. "I hadn't heard anything before that."

"The city had an open house with the open space superintendent and he's proposing to close it down from 420 acres to 360 on-leash acres," said Kramer. "To us, why have a dog park if the dogs have to be on leash the whole time."

The city of Westminster's study on the site, raised concerns with off-leash dogs impacting ecological growth, from preventing wildlife habitation to an increase in nitrogen and E. coli from dog feces.

"There's a species of mice and a species of frogs -- the Preble's meadow jumping mouse and the northern leopard frog -- who haven't even been seen in this park," said Kramer. "So, it's kind of confusing for us. Then why close down the area to off leash dogs over animals that haven't been seen in this park."

Yet, residents feel removing off-leash access will negatively impact the community.

"We're all kind of in a panic mode trying to halt this, have the city listen to us, and make some negotiations. Let's find out why and how," said Kramer.

Backed by other residents, Kramer helped organize an online change.org petition to stop the city's proposal.

"I believe it's over 1900 signatures in about 48 hours," she said.

Part of the city proposal still includes a small off leash park, but Kramer worries that will cause other safety issues.

"When you put a whole bunch of dogs together in a small area, that's only going to cause some major problems and interactions with dogs," she said.

"I'd like to see, if not all of this kept the way it is, the large majority," said St. Onge.

Kramer hopes they can propose other alternatives to reduce the footprint and maintain a bigger off-leash park.

"We would like to propose a park pass, and you maybe pay $25 a year to be a member, and then that would keep down some of the numbers," said Kramer.

A city spokesperson says no decisions have been made about the park, and there are still plans to host another public meeting next month on the open space management plan.

Kramer says they plan to take their concerns to city leaders as soon as the next council meeting on Feb. 12.

"Wear green and wear your dog leashes around your shoulders and bring a picture of your pet," said Kramer. "Basically, give our opinions and our feelings and how it affects us all personally, how it affects the community."