Bad encounters between dogs and baseball players have the City of Vernon looking at installing new fencing at Marshall Field.
In a report to council dated May 10, Chief Administrative Officer Patti Bridal says the current situation at Marshall Field could create a liability issue for the city if it’s not addressed.
In July 2019, council directed administration to install a 1.2-metre high galvanized fence at Marshall Field to separate the soccer fields from the off-leash dog area.
However, to reduce the amount of fencing required, the fencing didn’t extend to the entire baseball area. The fencing ended at the west end of the ball diamonds leaving the baseball viewing area, warm up and bull pens/pitching mounds within the off-leash dog area.
This created a conflict between baseball teams and the off-leash dog users.
Administration has received a number of complaints about uncontrolled interactions between dogs and baseball field users at Marshall Field. A number of written complaints were included in the report. Typical concerns raised regarding this issue include:
• Not everyone that plays baseball likes dogs
• Dogs love to chase/take the baseballs
• Some dogs are very aggressive
• Some people are highly allergic to dogs
• Dogs have urinated all over our equipment/spectator stuff and
• Some have stopped playing the sport they love due to this situation
An additional 340 metres of fencing would need to be installed between the off-leash park and the baseball diamonds. The estimated cost to install the fence is $45,000. The Vernon Baseball Association supports adding additional fencing and is willing to donate $10,000 to help fund the project.
The remaining $35,000 required to complete the fence could be funded by the 2022 Unexpected Uncommitted Balance, the report notes.
Council will decide on the matter at its next meeting Tuesday, May 23.
READ MORE: Woman and dog swept away by Vernon Creek
READ MORE: Vernon woman launches podcast after rising to TikTok stardom
