Below are our responses to some common concerns and questions raised about dog parks, and the selected location.
  • "Acton doesn't want or need a dog park. There are plenty of trails and open spaces for dogs to run free."
    • Acton is home to nearly 2,000 dogs, but not all dogs can be safely off leash. Puppies, disabled dogs, dogs in training, and some breeds,  need a secure (fenced) area to run and play safely, and not all owners have access to such a space.
    • In a 2017 survey, 440 respondents indicated they would use a dog park.
    • Trails and open spaces don't foster social interactions between dogs, which further foster healthy canine behavior. Similarly, open spaces and trails do not offer the community-building between owners that dog parks provide. Many pet owners with physical disabilities cannot manage these trails.
    • Dog parks benefit more than dogs and their owners. They benefit entire communities. Read how. 
    • A dog park is included in the Acton’s 2014-2021 Open Space and Recreation Plan and its associated 5-year action plan. It also correlates with many of the goals cited in the Acton 20/20 Comprehensive Community Plan.
    • The dog park was included in the Board of Selectmen’s 2021 long and short-term goals and was cited as its top priority for FY 2021 CPA funding. 

  • "Why would you put a dog park in the middle of town, in a busy location?"
    • Given Acton's commitment to environmental sustainability, locating the dog park where people must drive to reach it would be in opposition to our Town's values. Locating the park in a central location, where many can walk to the park, where people can reach it by the MinuteVan or the Ride, and where the elderly and disabled in the AHA development can easily access it makes more sense from a sustainability standpoint.
    • The Massachusetts Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) list includes a project to improve safety at the Rt 2 / Rt 27 intersection, including the addition of a traffic light.
    • Acton's Dog Park Committee will advocate for extending the sidewalk from Rt 2 past the dog park parcel to the Acton Housing Authority's development at 364 Main Street, which will also include sidewalks.
    • Because the AHA will be locating their septic system's leach field on the same parcel as the dog park,  Acton benefits from multi-use of this otherwise useless parcel of land.
    • A dog park aligns with the Criteria for Use of 348-364 Main Street, as outlined in the Town’s 2018 Request for Interest (RFI) for the Acquisition and Redevelopment of the 348-364 Main Street Property
    • Other local area dog park groups have told us they've seen no significant additional traffic to those areas, and dog park traffic is likely to be diffuse over time, rather than concentrated in one or more time frames.

  • "The location will attract transient activity and crime to the area."
    • The dog park location is a short distance from Isaac Davis Way, which already has a turnaround area just off Main Street. A stone's throw away are the parking areas for Kennedy Landscaping, Acton Animal Hospital, Acton Medical Associates, and the Public Safety Facility.  Those existing parking lots could also attract crime, but there is no evidence that they do.
    • Acton's Chief of Police has indicated no concerns that the dog park would increase crime in the area. The location of the Public Safety Facility nearby should actually decrease any temptation to use the park or its parking area for unsavory activity.
    • Some dog parks use cameras to monitor the area. These could certainly be considered.

  • "What about liability?"
    • As with all recreation areas in Town, the dog park will be "use at your own risk." So long as appropriate signage is posted, there is no more liability for the Town than there is at NARA, the local playground, or any other recreational facility.
    • Town Counsel has confirmed the Town's right-of-passage over the section of Isaac Davis Way that would be used for the parking lot, so any liability issues in that section should be covered by the Town.
    • We intend to post signage and enforce "no trespassing" on the remainder of Isaac Davis Way. Dog owners will not want to do anything that puts their use of the dog park at risk. 

  • "The people who use dog parks don't train their dogs."
    • Dog park users tend to be well-informed and dedicated owners who understand that socialization and exercise are important for dogs health and well being.
    • Some breeds are very difficult to leave off leash, and many owners are just more comfortable knowing their dogs are safe while they work to improve their recall.

  • "A dog park will cost the Town money to maintain. I don't want my tax dollars to pay for something I won't use."
    • Nearby towns with dog parks spend, on average, about $4K annually for dog park maintenance. The Town has already allocated that amount through a 2020 $2 per dog license fee increase. With nearly 2,000 licensed dogs in Acton, this means that only dog owners will pay for dog park maintenance.
    • As is done in other towns, a "Friends of Acton Community Dog Park" organization has now formed to raise additional funds to support the park. Friends members will also provide volunteer labor to keep the park clean and running efficiently.
    • In addition to design and construction grants, the Stanton Foundation offers capital improvement grants which can be applied for in the years following park opening.

  • "Just a handful of residents are pushing the idea of a dog park in Acton."
    • In a 2017 survey, 76% of 579 respondents (440 people) supported the establishment of a dog park in Acton.
    • The dog park committee maintains an email list of over 400 interested and supportive citizens. This list continues to grow as word of the project spreads.

  • "Why this location? Why not Great Hill, Morrison Farm, NARA Park, or some other area?"
    • Our committee spent three years researching, touring, and vetting sites for the dog park. We first researched the criteria needed in a parcel, then worked with the Land Use department to identify available pieces of land that met our requirements. We toured and vetted over a dozen sites, appeared before the Board of Selectmen about five times, conducted surveys, staffed tables at public events such as Oktoberfest and the Farmers' Market, and held a public forum. We took all public feedback to heart. Great Hill, Morrison Farm, and other sites were seriously considered but did not pan out for a number of reasons that are well documented in our meeting minutes, available here, and in presentations made to the Select Board and other committees, available on the Dog Park Committee's Town Docushare page .
    • While all sites had their pros and cons, in the end, the committee believes -- and the Board of Selectmen, Transportation Advisory Committee, Open Space Committee, Chief of Police, Land Stewards, and Recreation Commission, and ultimately Town Meeting all agreed -- that the Main Street site is the best overall choice.
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  • "A dog park will result in restrictions for dogs in other areas of town."
    • Acton's Dog Park Committee does not advocate for any such restrictions. The dog park is intended as a supplement to existing facilities, especially for those dogs who cannot be safely off leash (e.g., puppies, disabled dogs; dogs in training, etc.)

  • "Dog parks are noisy."
    • We invite those who are concerned about noise to spend time at any of the nearby dog parks -- Acton's unofficial dog park at Great Hill, or the dog parks in Maynard, Chelmsford or Ayer. While dogs will bark at times, it is rarely persistent or excessive.
    • Check out this hour-long video of a dog park... all you can hear are birds and people!
    • More importantly, there are specific steps that can be taken to minimize the impacts of barking -- including design elements such as noise-reduction fencing and vegetative barriers.
    • We also plan to post signage asking all users to self-police loud or excessive barking.

  • "Dog parks decrease property values."
    • According to the American Pet Products Association's 2017 market research, 68 percent of U.S. households include at least one pet, accounting for 84.6 million pet-owning households. U.S. pets are estimated to include approximately 90 million dogs.
    • Accordingly, realtors have found that the presence of a dog park is often considered an asset to prospective home buyers.

  • "Dog parks smell."
    • A well-designed dog park is set up to minimize odor. This can include multiple, well-positioned waste stations; sufficient and well-draining ground cover; and the availability of water for occasional flushing.
    • Park users tend to police themselves and other users; no one wants to spend time in a dirty or smelly park!
    • In the course of our work, we've visited many dog parks and have never found any kind of objectionable odors.
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  • "Dog parks are unsightly."
    • A dog park can be a community attraction, suitable to the terrain and surrounding neighborhood. They often feature trees, benches, landscaping, shade structures, and water fountains.
    • Acton's dog park will be designed by a professional firm with experience designing dog parks. Check out these images from dog parks across the country:
​Acton Dog Park Committee
adpc@acton-ma.gov