A group of Villagers attended the Community Development District 8 meeting on Friday, demanding improvements at the Brinson-Perry Dog Park.
“For six years we have been fighting to get a decent dog park we can be proud of,” said Sharon Sandler, a resident of the Crestview Villas.
She complained about lack of parking, sod that has never been given a chance for survival and metal benches that are too hot to sit on in the summer time.
Another resident who used a walker to attend the meeting said the dog park is not friendly to the handicapped. She invited any of the supervisors to borrow her walker and try to make their way through the dog park.
“We were told if we continued to complain, the dog park would be shut down,” Sandler said.
She alleged that the threat came from Recreation Department staffers.
Sandler estimated that there are at least 35,000 dogs in The Villages. She said the dog parks are inadequate.
CDD 8 Supervisor Sal Torname said the property on which the dog park is located is at a steep angle.
“It’s not conducive to anything,” he said.
Sam Wartinbee of District Property Management admitted there have been challenges at the dog park.
“Honestly it’s the worst place to have a dog park, but it was the only land available,” he said.
Wartinbee met with the residents outside the meeting and agreed to try to address their concerns.