Charlie Prater of Laguna Woods, left, has a heated, but respectful discussion with Laguna Woods City Attorney David Cosgrove. Prater wants to know who owns A Place for Paws Dog Park which has been in the city for 17 years. Cosgrove could not answer that question at the Laguna Woods City Council Chambers on Thursday, August 10. Cosgrove approached Prater after the city council meeting was over. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Charlie Prater of Laguna Woods, left, wants to know who the committee was that recommended A Place for Paws Dog Park in Laguna Woods should close. He and City Attorney David Cosgrove further discuss the controversial decision to close the park at Laguna Woods City Council Chambers on Thursday, August 10. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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Bonnie DeWidt of Aliso Viejo and her chihuahua mix Jean stand at attention at the start of the Laguna Woods City Council meeting on Thursday, August 10. She begged the council members, “Please don’t take this park away. It’s what I look forward to at the end of the day.” The council ruled to close A Place for Paws Dog Park soon. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Bob Fitzgerald of Laguna Hills tells Laguna Woods City Council they get an “F” in communication. He holds up a notice from a fellow dog park fan about A Place for Paws Dog Park closing and urging people to call the city and voice their opinion. The council voted to close the 17-yer-old narrow strip of park on Thursday, August 10. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Finnegan was quiet during the Laguna Woods City Council meeting where they voted to close A Place for Paws Dog Park in Laguna Woods on Thursday, August 10. The 8-year-old Labradoodle is a guide dog and help his owner with balance issues. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)



Laguna Woods residents Mahmoud Sabaha, second from right, and wife Parry, who live next to the park, complained that the dogs at A Place for Paws Dog Park bark day and night during a Laguna Woods City Council meeting on Thursday, August 10. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Laguna Woods residents Mahmoud Sabaha, second from right, and wife Parry complained that the dogs at A Place for Paws Dog Park bark day and night during a Laguna Woods City Council meeting on Thursday, August 10. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Bonnie DeWidt of Aliso Viejo tells the Laguna Woods City Council that A Place for Paws Dog Park is a community that welcomed her and Jean with open arms. The social aspect for seniors as well as dog was a sentiment echoed repeatedly. Despite the impassioned pleas, the council voted to closed the park down “soon” siting it was a legal matter. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Odette Derryberry of Laguna Woods brought her guide dog Finnegan to the Laguna Woods City Council meeting where the council voted unanimously to close A Place for Paws Dog Park in Laguna Woods on Thursday, Aug. 10. The decision blindsided many of dog owners who only learned of the closing when they saw fliers about its closure littering the park’s parking lot on Aug. 3. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Laguna Woods resident Parry Sabaha says I know your dogs are “dear” to you, but my husband can’t sleep with the all day and night barking from A Place for Paws Dog Park during a Laguna Woods City Council meeting on Thursday, August 10. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)



Archie tries to prove he’s the big dog to Moko at A Place for Paws Dog Park , Laguna Woods, on Thursday, August 10. Archie’s lives across the street at Laguna Hills Estates. His owner, George Correa, says the mobile home park does not allow dogs to walk on its park. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A Place for Paws Dog Park in Laguna Woods is a narrow with artificial grass. The Laguna Woods City Council voted to close it on Thurs., Aug. 10. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

George Correa of Laguna Hills and Archie are regulars at A Place for Paws Dog Park, Laguna Woods. They didn’t know of the rumors to close the park on Thursday, August 10. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A Place for Paws Dog Park, Laguna Woods, will close soon. The city council voted to shut it down on Thursday, August 10. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Nearly 70 people, along with two dogs, filled Laguna Woods City Hall on Thursday, Aug. 10 to challenge the city’s decision to close its only dog park, A Place for Paws.

The majority of people who came to the meeting were upset by the city council’s unanimous vote to close the dog park, shouting angry remarks, such as “this city hates dogs” and “you’re going to get a lawsuit now.”

“It looks like they made their decision before the meeting even started,” Laguna Woods Dog Club President Ron Drauden said after the meeting. “It was less than seven days before we even knew about this coming up, and I think the city has a budget shortfall so they’re looking to cut costs, so the dog park was the first to go.”

The primary reasons for the decision, according to City Manager Chris Macon and City Attorney David Cosgrove, are potentially dangerous conditions and legal controversy that present a liability. Physical deterioration, including wear and tear of artificial turf grass, insufficient shade and dog-waste odors presented safety concerns and legal risk to the city, Macon said.

The risk of an accident or fall at the dog park in a retirement community poses a high threat because of the demographic, Cosgrove added.

Dog owners at the meeting were outraged by the claims and some suggested that the city “duped” dog owners, having recently asked dog-park goers what they would like to see improved at the facility.

“I think I speak for the majority of people in this room — we could live with all of these issues but we cannot live without the dog park,” Laguna Woods resident Barbara Sanchez said. “More seniors fall at home where no one knows about it and they will lie in their living rooms for a week before someone finds them. If a regular at the dog park doesn’t come one day, their friends will call.”

The underlying problem is that while recently searching for methods to renovate the dog park, built in 2001, city staff found a property-title issue, Cosgrove said, adding the city doesn’t own the property and they don’t know who does.

Four people who live near the park on Ridge Route Drive spoke in favor of its closure because of noise.

“You folks come and enjoy your pets and your friends a couple hours a day however many times a week, but I live with it from when it opens till when it closes,” said Patty Wilson.

Others at the meeting said they were shocked and suspicious that A Place for Paws has been open for 16 years without a known property owner. In addition, the communication between the city and park goers about it closing was a failure, Councilwoman Carol Moore admitted.

Rumors of the park closing began Thursday, Aug. 3 when park goers discovered dozens of flyers announcing its closure. Laguna Hills resident Bob Fitzgerald, who lives in the mobile home community next to the park, said he called Laguna Woods City Hall to see what was happening.

Fitzgerald said he contacted a city staff member, who was silent and then said she had not heard anything about the flyers at the park. Fitzgerald said he then contacted the Laguna Woods Globe and asked about the dog park closing.

The Globe reached out to the city on Thursday, Aug. 3 and was told there were no plans to close the dog park. Late Monday the agenda and staff report for the special meeting regarding the closure was posted to the city website.

During and after the meeting, dog-park supporters shared stories of camaraderie between dog owners and expressed possibilities of physical and mental health concerns if it closed.

Laguna Woods resident Kim Caudill said that while she was hurt and bound to crutches, A Place for Paws was the only way she could exercise her dog and be outside.

“This is a very important thing. Many people have dogs, this is like their children. It’s very important to have a place to walk them and have a place to play,” resident Brenda Rader said.

Some attendees noted that residents of Laguna Woods Village could request a dog park from the Golden Rain Foundation, which oversees the community’s amenities. However, for nonresidents such as Bonnie Dewidt of Aliso Viejo and her dachshund, Jean, there would be no where else to go.

“I have no idea (what I’ll do now),” Dewidt said. “The other dog parks have vicious dogs, so I probably won’t take her at all. It makes me sad.”

Dog parks nearest to Laguna Woods:

Laguna Beach Dog Park, 3.6 mi, 20668 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach

Mission Viejo Dog Park, 6.5 mi, 25100 Felipe Rd., Mission Viejo

Barker Ranch Dog Park, 6.8 mi, 25600 Baffin Bay Dr., Lake Forest

Wagsdale Dog Park, 8.6 mi, O’Neill Drive at Cecil Pasture Road., Ladera Ranch

Irvine Central Bark, 8.1 mi, 6405 Oak Canyon Rd., Irvine

Rancho Santa Margarita Dog Park, 9.8 mi, 24328 Antonio Parkway Rancho Santa Margarita