For the Better

Change is hard and can be scary, and for some of the dog lovers who frequent the Springs Park — often referred to as the Springs Dog Park — off Three Mile Harbor, the possibility of change resulted in the spread of misinformation, which led to panic over an assumption that the Town of East Hampton had nefarious plans for the park. There were whispers that the town would clearcut the land, creating an undesirable environment for both dogs and their keepers, and forever altering the way the park is currently enjoyed.

What was unveiled at a Town Board work session last Tuesday was instead a reasonable list of recommendations by the Springs Park Committee. First, the committee recommended that a much-needed area for smaller dogs be included in the park. Anyone who has spent time in this park understands there are many moments where conflict arises between two pets — creating a safer space for smaller breeds should be viewed as a welcome change.

Second, the committee requested that the town remove invasive plant species from the park — not a clearcut of “all the beautiful trees and flowering plants,” as alleged in a flier left at the park in advance of the work session.

As Neil Kraft, the chairman of the Park Committee, and Scott Wilson, the town’s director of land acquisition and management, noted, this move actually would protect native species and improve habitat diversity, while also allowing the trail system that has been created in the park to continue to exist, saving it from being overrun by autumn olives and other nonnative plants.

Finally, the committee recommended that the town limit parking at the park to East Hampton Town residents, and that Animal Control step up monitoring of the park. Both are reasonable recommendations for a park that was purchased in 2002 for use as a passive park to be enjoyed by town residents, though it has become a de facto dog park.

Kraft himself noted that the parking lot at the park is often congested in the summer, and that some dog owners from far afield — including some who were previously banned from the popular dog park in Southampton Village for poor animal behavior — had started coming to the Springs park.

While 23 acres of this parcel has been allowed, by the town, to evolve into use as a dog park, it is part of a public park for all residents of the Town of East Hampton and not meant to serve as a regional dog park. As with resident-only beaches, the town has a responsibility to ensure that East Hampton residents alone are permitted access. If the town is to allow this space to continue to be enjoyed as a recreational facility for dogs and their owners, it is also the town’s responsibility to ensure the safety of town residents and their pets. Limiting access will help.

Having a greater presence of Animal Control officers at the park is an idea that’s long overdue. We like to believe that most dog owners who frequent the park are responsible and mindful of their pets’ interaction with others, but should reports of injuries and attacks at the park become frequent, the town will have no option but to reconsider whether the park is a safe environment.

Considering that Springs Park has become an oasis for so many residents and their pets, that would be the worst outcome of all. The town’s proposals are not a step in that direction — they are an effort to keep the park open, safe and pleasant. All hands, and paws, should applaud.