HAVERHILL — Mayor James Fiorentini announced in October that the city was going to establish a dog trail, where canines could run off their leashes on a strip of land between Winnekenni Park and Plug Pond if under their owners' control.
Several residents, however, objected, saying unleashed dogs would venture onto their property. So that particular plan was abandoned after the City Council's Public Safety Committee voted to reject the proposal.
The mayor named a committee to find another site where dogs could run without bothering anybody. Attorney Thomas Sullivan was put in charge of the panel.
Councilor William Macek wants to find out what's going on with this effort, so he put it on the agenda for tonight's City Council meeting. The meeting starts at 7 in council chambers at City Hall.
Macek said a constituent asked him about the dog park proposal. He also received complaints about the amount of canine excrement at Winnekenni Park, a popular spot for owners to walk their dogs. They must be on a leash and owners are responsible for picking up after their pets.
"I'm hopeful the mayor will have a status report," Macek said.
Fiorentini said he expects to receive a plan from Sullivan and his committee soon. The mayor said he does not know about any sites the dog panel has proposed.
Sullivan said the dog park could be self-funded — pet owners would pay to maintain it — and not cost Haverhill taxpayers a dime, Fiorentini said.
"This would be a great addition for the city," the mayor said. "I've had a number of people mention it to me."
Sullivan could not be reached for comment. City Human Services Director Vincent Ouellette, who supervised the effort to clean the site between Winnekenni Park and Plug Pond to prepare it for dogs, said, "I understand they have been looking at different sites."
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