Within one day of a fence to designate where dogs can reign free along the Eighth Avenue beach, it was removed.
“I just walked outside about 20 minutes ago and sure enough they took it down,” said nearby resident Lynn Wilson near 4 p.m. “It’s definitely a beautiful wide open expanse again.”
The north beach area commonly known as popular fishing and surfing spot has been shared with dogs since 2012.
In the past few years concerns over the beach’s state-of-affairs sparked a recent petition of close to 100 supporters for more garbage cans, better cleaning, enforcement, and a designated area for the dogs.
On Monday, Acting City Manager Anthony Nuccio reported that petitioner’s requests were being addressed and should be completed by week’s end.
But after the fence went into place Tuesday morning, social media posts showed opposition for the dogs’ limited space.
In an online social media post Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn said, “The fence went up due to seires of miscommunications. No one on the [City] Council gave the direction to do it. We have a specific ordinace designating the area of the dog beach, which is the entire area from jetty to jetty…”
An online petition for the fence’s removal was launched Wednesday morning and garnered over 90 supporters within 8 hours.
“That was like lightening,” said change.org petition creator Mark McDonald in response to the fence’s removal. “One of the good things that will come out of this will be that it has galvanized the dog community. Education, enforcement and personal responsibility is what’s going to manage this well.”
McDonald was a part of a recent dog beach cleaning initiative started by resident Josephine Sidhu. The beach cleanings occurred on April 4 and June 17.
“I’m going to make sure I keep doing them because I do feel like the dog beach is a privilege not a right,” Sidhu said. “People will treat the area based on how we treat the area.”
While license dogs are allowed on the beach and along the boardwalk all day from September 15 through May 15, their access is restricted to 6 p.m. through 8:30 a.m. during the summer season.
[Photo courtesy of Mark McDonald]
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