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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Upper Rogue United Futbol Club honored for serving hundreds of kids ... President's race helped pass tax measures ... DOJ inquiry likely led to downfall ... Upper Rogue United Futbol Club honored for serving hundreds of kids ... President's race helped pass tax measures ... DOJ inquiry likely led to downfall ... OUR VIEW Our View: Dog park complaint doesn't pass smell test Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted May. 18, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted May. 18, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News A last-minute complaint filed against a long-awaited dog park in Gold Hill shouldn't derail the project. There is little reason to believe there is any substance to the concerns expressed. Christine Alford, a former member of the Gold Hill City Council, filed the complaint with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality on May 3. Alford says a dog park at the Gold Hill Sports Park would threaten a planned splash pad and nearby ball fields. She says the "Bark Park" should be constructed in Ben Hur Lampman Park instead. "I don't believe DEQ would permit a new septic tank there and the dog park is in that same family, only a lot larger," Alford said. None of those claims stands up to scrutiny. Dogs are already permitted in the Sports Park, and dog walkers dispose of their pets' waste in designated receptacles. The Bark Park will be a fenced-off area for dogs to run, equipped with a waste disposal station. If anything, the dog park will serve to concentrate dog activity in one area, where it is easier to make sure pet owners clean up after their animals. A septic tank is a permanent, underground sewage treatment system; a dog park is an above-ground exercise area, and dog waste is regularly removed. If there is ever a problem with dog owners not picking up after their pets, the city can take steps to make sure that happens. Moving the dog park to Ben Hur Lampman makes no sense because that park is across the river from town, requiring anyone who wanted to visit a dog park there to go out of their way to cross a bridge. DEQ officials should deposit the complaint in the proper receptacle, and the city should proceed with the Bark Park as planned. MailTribune.com Writer Posted May. 18, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501