In December, Staples High School junior Emme Dorfman wrote a “Students Speak” story for “06880,” proposing a fenced-in dog run area in Westport.
Today, she and Representative Town Meeting member Andrew Colabella offer an update, clarifying some misconceptions about the idea.
Since the story was published, we’ve continued working with the Parks & Recreation Department and Planning & Zoning Commission, to develop a thoughtful proposal for a fenced-in dog park at Winslow.
With help from “06880” and Westport Moms, we conducted a community survey. We received over 700 responses, with 73% supporting a fenced-in dog park in Westport.
We recently presented the proposal to both commissions, and shared our vision for “Dogport.”
A suggested area for the “Dogport” is the area near Compo Road North, which served as the staging area for a recent nearby sewer project.
A key part of the plan is that the space would not be an unregulated open area. Access would be controlled through a secure key fob system, allowing only registered users with vaccinated dogs to enter. This creates accountability, encourages responsible use, and allows the town to enforce rules if needed.
Unfortunately, some concerns appear to be based on misunderstandings or rumors — including claims that the entire park would be fenced in, or that the space would resemble a “kennel.”
In reality, the proposal involves fencing in one specific section of Winslow to create a safe off-leash area. The rest of the park would remain completely unchanged.
Andrew has spent considerable time meeting with regular Winslow users to explain the proposal, answer questions, and hear feedback firsthand. We’ve found that many residents become supportive once they understand what is actually being proposed.
Only one section of Winslow Park is proposed for the Dogport. The rest of the 29-acre site would remain open. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
For decades, Winslow has been a gathering place for dog owners. However, the lack of an enclosed area and the park’s proximity to Compo Road North create safety concerns for many residents. A fenced-in section would provide a safer, more organized environment while still preserving the park’s existing recreational uses and open-space character.
After reviewing multiple possible locations with town officials, the proposed site emerged as the most practical and least disruptive option. The area is already graded, easier to maintain, and would not interfere with current park activities.
Throughout this process we’ve worked hard to listen to feedback, answer concerns, and approach this responsibly. We truly believe Dogport would be a meaningful, well-managed addition to the community.
Proposed Dogport rules include:
- Sunrise to sunset hours
- Secure key fob access for registered members only
- Dogs must be licensed, vaccinated and registered
- Maximum of 3 dogs per person
- Dogs must be leashed entering and exiting
- Owners must clean up after their dogs
- Repeated violations could result in revoked access
A sign like this might be placed at the proposed “Dogport.”
We will have a table at the Westport Dog Festival on May 17, to sell Dogport merch. Here is the link to the merch for anyone who would like to donate!
Thank you for helping bring attention to this project and move the conversation forward.
NOTE: Renderings are only conceptual — not final designs. Official schematic plans are underway.
(“06880″‘s Opinion pages are open to all. Please email submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com. To support this hyper-local blog, please click here. Thank you!)
Could you please provide the link to the Dogport merch?
Here ya go!
https://dogport06880.itemorder.com/shop/home/
Winslow Park is dominated by aggressive dogs and negligent owners, particularly in the early mornings. I speak as someone whose dog was mauled by a German Shepherd there. Adding enclosed dog runs will only escalate aggressive dog situations because there is nowhere for the victim to flee and because the illusion of safety allows owners to be even less attentive. It’s one of many reasons why dog professionals routinely warn dog owners to avoid this type of dog park entirely: https://www.courteouscanine.com/say-no-to-dog-parks/
Why not just fence the entire park (or at least the sections exposed to the road) and call it a day?
Also, requiring proof of registration with the town effectively limits the dog park to town residents, which is not in keeping with the idea of a public park.
I totally agree. I think a small fenced in area is a bad idea. People will pay attention even less!!! I like the idea of just fencing the few open spots along the roads.
I’m very sorry to hear about your dog — that must have been incredibly upsetting. Safety is exactly why this conversation matters.
At the same time, it’s important to recognize that nearly every surrounding community already has some form of fenced dog park or enclosed dog run, including towns like Weston, New Canaan, Darien, Fairfield, Norwalk, Stamford and others throughout the area. These spaces exist because many dog owners want a designated, controlled place for dogs to exercise and socialize safely rather than having off-leash activity happen informally throughout open public parks. It is just another option to have at Winslow which is 29 acres.
No solution is perfect, and concerns about aggressive dogs should absolutely be part of the discussion. But many neighboring towns have shown that fenced dog parks can coexist successfully with the broader community when thoughtfully planned and managed. And this will not be limited to Westport residents. Non residents can show proof of vaccination and pay a fee to also get access to the area.
I would also encourage residents to attend Wednesday’s (5/20) meeting of the Parks & Recreation Commission. We will be discussing this proposal and public comments are welcome. It will be a Zoom meeting, details on the Town website.
David Floyd, Chair, Parks & Rec Commmission
https://dogport06880.itemorder.com/shop/home/
Here’s the link to DogPort Merch
I have found the dog park to be a wonderful place for community building and getting to know our neighbors. This is a wonderful idea- we’ll just need a coffee truck and it’ll be perfect.
If this goes forward I would suggest that entrances should be on the side next to the parking lot with sidewalks to entrance gates that support access for dog owners with mobility differences.
Also: will registered users be required to waive liability against the town for using the dog run? I’m not interested in my tax dollars going to pay settlements when the inevitable injuries to dogs and people happen in an environment that’s nearly universally opposed by dog professionals due to the known risks.
As stated in the rules posted at all entrances of Winslow, dog owners are solely responsible for any injury from their dog to another person or dog.
I have been using Winslow for the past twenty years with my dogs without incident. It saddens me that anyone would want to change such an iconic and inclusive Westport treasure. If your dog is trained then the park is a place where residents and non residents of all ages meet or just go for a peaceful walk in the woods with their dog. Untrained dogs are better suited to the leashed area.
That aside, the proposed location of the park has two major issues. The first is that is it is located closed to residences across Compo Road North. Enclosed dog run are notoriously loud. The behavior of dogs in a fenced area is completely different from acres of free space. Barking and aggressive incidents increase in an enclosed environment.
The second is that my dogs are trained not go into the area near Compo Road. If you put a dog run yards away from the unleashed area next to Compo dogs will be drawn by the barking and activity and will want to run towards the busy road.
The most suitable place for a run would be in the leashed area next to the Post Road directly in front of the parking lot located on Compo. The Post Road will help to drown out the noise, residents who want to use the enclosed area will have better access (especially if they are concerned about the off leash dogs) and those of us who are extremely happy with things as is can continue to enjoy the freedom of the unleashed area.
Members of my family and I are at the Winslow twice a day and have never been asked our thoughts on the proposal. We have also not had access to the questionnaire that went out to 700+ people but somehow missed us.
For decades the park has functioned beautifully without oversite or intervention. I do not understand the mindset that feels like it needs to change. Right now it feels like some Westporters are trying to keep non-residents out and potentially affect the families that live near the park and longstanding Winslow users with the current proposal.
This is a solution in search of a problem. What problem is trying to be solved here? Parks and Rec can provide specifics, but it’s safe to say Westport residents have access to at least over 500 acres of parks, not to mention beaches and ballfields. This is the one place where dogs can socialize (very important) and dog owners can connect – there is an important community aspect to the park. It is a vital part of our community for many reasons. Yes, other towns have caged runs, but why do we have to be like other towns? Do they have caged areas because they don’t have a place like Winslow? What is the impact of caging dogs and is there more value in that vs providing open space that is fenced? There’s a unique quality and character to our town that is distinct. There are so many reasons why this is a very bad idea, but I am open to learning more about what exactly is driving this and where the best interests of the town as a whole reside, including its animals who don’t have a voice, but whose owners will fiercely advocate for their best interests.