JACKSON, Wyo. — Teton County/Jackson Parks & Recreation Department recently identified high-priority projects, including designated areas within town parks for off-leash dogs.
The department hopes to begin tackling a number of projects this summer, beginning first with community engagement.
Three parks are being considered for off-leash dog areas, May Park, Miller Park and Powderhorn Park.
In 2018, the Parks & Recreation Strategic Plan identified the need for off-leash dog areas. According to the Strategic Plan, “local community groups have been trying to identify a suitable location for a dog park for some time, and statistics show that the need is obvious. Although commonly referred to as dog parks, these places have been shown to be social gathering places for dog guardians– a park for people with dogs.”
On June 28, Parks & Rec released information about the upcoming projects in the pipeline and identified off-leash dog parks as a high-priority item. Currently, there is only one temporary dog park in Jackson, located at the Teton County Fairgrounds. The park was open this past winter from Nov. 6, 2020 through April 28, 2021.
“PAWS of Jackson Hole is thrilled to see Parks & Rec move forward with the strategic priorities identified in their 2018 strategic plan,” said Amy Moore, PAWS of Jackson Hole executive director.
“We wholeheartedly support this multi-use approach to shared green spaces in the Parks & Rec system and we applaud the Jackson Town Council for supporting these proposals and our pet-loving community,” said Moore.
Community members have been emailing the Jackson Town Council recently, sharing their support and dissent for off-leash dog areas. According to the emails, about 10,000 dogs live in Jackson with no year-round dog park. Town parks do not allow dogs.
An off-leash community dog park has been years in the making, following the closure of Sophie’s Place, Jackson’s first official dog park.
In 2015, Jackson Hole News & Guide reported on the off-leash dog park proposed at Powderhorn Park. Neighbors started a petition against the dog park sharing concerns about a portion of the green space being dedicated to the fenced-in dog park. The proposal was shot down but the season Teton County Fairgrounds dog park was approved the following year.
