Group Wants Park to Include Dogs

If members of a local “Park ‘n’ Bark” group have their say, children won’t be the only ones who benefit from a new park in Westlake Village.

Following a countywide trend, the group is lobbying for the inclusion of dogs in a city plan to create a park for area youth.

“We do know that there are some constraints in thinking about the dog part of things when you are dealing with the human side of things,” said resident Mel Welles at a Wednesday night meeting of the Westlake Village City Council. But, he added, the group would like the council to keep their four-legged friends in mind when planning the park.

Council members made no commitments, but said they would consider the request.

The Park ‘n’ Bark group primarily hails from the Ventura County side of the Westlake Village community--which is governed by Thousand Oaks. An effort there suffered a setback last month when nearby Triunfo Canyon Park was taken off a list of dog park sites under consideration by the Conejo Recreation and Park District’s board of directors after some residents expressed opposition.

Undaunted, the members and their pets continue to meet almost daily--wherever they can.

In Westlake Village--located in Los Angeles County--dog owners hope to secure an area for dogs to run free.

The group would be satisfied even if the city set aside and fenced in less than an acre of the new park for their dogs to run leash-free.

Mindful of the criticism during the Triunfo park debates, Welles said the group is prepared to do all it can, including fund-raising and designing, to help make this a reality.

“In a community where everybody has a dog, they are interested in dogs and in each other,” he said. “It’s not an easy thing to do to get into a new community and have no friends, but because I had a dog, I have a hundred friends.”