The potential Duffeeland Dog Park closure that has held canine “parents” on edge for weeks was apparently laid to rest March 11 at the Recreation Centers of Sun City Exchange meeting.

The Duffeeland Dog Park Club received an extension at the Feb. 29 meeting to submit a plan on its efforts to enforce dog park rules and regulations and reduce the number of incidents by April 1.

“The plan was accepted. So, you met the first milestone,” said Kat Fimmel, RCSC president. “What needs to happen now is for things to go well at the park.”

The plan presented to the board includes:

• Provisions to better enforce the rules and regulations;
• Focus on one of the dog park rules in each monthly newsletter;
  Remind visitors to use their key fob to enter the park to ensure only Sun City residents are using it;
• Remind visitors to clean up after their dogs and to help keep it clean;
• Changing the incident reporting processes so the club is more aware of what is happening in the park.

Incident reports are currently sent directly to the RCSC, but the new plan would have them dropped in locked boxes provided at the park, reviewed by the club’s executive board and then sent to the management staff for action.

Club President Bill Agy said by making residents file incident reports to the club first and then the club reporting the incident to the RCSC the club officers are more informed.

“This new process will at last let the board know who our repeat offenders are so we can take action against them, such as limiting their access or banning them,” Agy said. “As it is now, we don’t even know who the offenders are.”

Fimmel said she was pleased with the result.

“They actually did a very good job at developing this plan,” she said. “You did it for 10 years. There’s no reason you can’t do it another 10. We want you to be successful.”

Mike Woita, a member of the club, said much of the consternation caused while this issue was being revolved was due to communication.

“I think the disconnection in the dog park comes from some statements Mr. (Matthew) D’Luzansky said at the Feb. 29 meeting,” he said.

The club thought the issue was resolved at a club meeting attended by Fimmel and another board member Feb. 22, but at the Feb. 29 RCSC meeting D’Luzansky indicated closure was still an option if the club did not submit its plan and club members received an email March 1 indicating the park would be closed April 1.

“It’s almost like we have two different plans going,” he said. “I feel better about that. I think we’re all on the same page now.”