By Anna Haefele
Special to the Weekly
Tall spring grasses wave gently in the breeze, vibrant during a moment of bright spring sunshine. The air is rich with the scent of Nootka roses, and quite warm for a May afternoon. The serenity of the environment serves as an ideal backdrop for the energy of the four dogs in attendance, who all wrestle, gnaw on one another, and compete for possession of a bucket lid, which, for the time being, is serving as a frisbee. It’s pastoral bliss. It’s also the proposed location of Lopez Off-Leash Area, envisioned as a haven and gathering place for Lopez’s canine residents and the people who love them.
“For such a small community, Lopez has everything, usually the best of everything, but we don’t have a dog park,” said Lopez resident Steve Atkins. “Not only should we have a dog park, but our dog park should be the nicest park. Nicer than the one in Anacortes.”
LOLA, which is incorporated as a nonprofit, is the brainchild and “pet” project of Emily Metcalf and Atkins, who serve on the board of directors with Duane and Audrey Bordvick, Kathleen McGibbon, Jennifer Johnson, David Lawrence, and Jane Albrecht (notable for her work with Lopez Animal Protection Society,). Ron Metcalf, who donated the piece of Fisherman Bay Road land for the dog park, is a strong supporter of LOLA’s efforts.
When asked what he sees as the primary reasons for developing an off-leash area on Lopez, Atkins responded with several points: “You know, plenty of people do let their dogs just run loose, but you’re not really supposed to, and not everyone can do that… Dogs need socialization, and not everyone can safely do that in their yard. And, you know, as something to do, it’s actually really sweet.”
With the current proposed setting, it’s hard to imagine a nicer location for anything. Fortunately, preserving the area’s beauty is high on the list of LOLA’s goals.
“The valley there is gorgeous,” said Atkins. “For all kinds of reasons, we want the area to stay pastoral and attractive.”
LOLA’s board of directors say they are also concerned with doing right by the community. Therefore, the park will be completely open to the public with the hope that it will become a valuable community space and social venue.
In a sit-down interview with Atkins, this fundamental goal was reiterated when he stated “[a dog park] is a really important part of a community.”
Community-mindedness is a foundational aspect of LOLA, and is carried even into their fundraising philosophy. LOLA’s mission statement asserts that if plans for the dog park should fall through, all donated funds will be given to Lopez Animal Protection Society.
While the dream of an off-leash park has existed for Atkins and Metcalf for quite some time, the genesis of LOLA as an organization was somewhat sudden. The impetus came around Christmas when the land became available. At that point, Atkins and Emily Metcalf realized they needed to get serious about putting together a timeline and beginning to formalize their cause. Should the plan move forward, construction is intended to commence next summer. While the eventual goal is to add a shelter and dog-friendly landscaping fixtures, the initial installation should be fairly basic.
LOLA will be hosting their first fundraiser, a chili contest, at The Galley on June 9 at 8 p.m. Full on Idle will be playing live music. Entry is by donation ($10 recommended) and all donations are tax-deductible.
For more info, contact:
LOLA
P.O. Box 846
Email: lopezislanddogpark@gmail.com
