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The park is actually the expansion of the Ward Canyon Neighborhood Park, located on Adams Avenue near the border between Kensington and Normal Heights at the I-15. The park would serve the neighborhoods of Normal Heights, Kensington, City Heights, Talmadge and even Mission Gorge, which currently has no dog park. As it stands, the two closest dog parks to the proposed park are at Morley Field in Balboa Park and Grape Street Park in South Park.<\/p>\n
Five hundred to 700 supporters are expected at the rally, set for noon to 2 p.m. Sunday at Ward Canyon Park, Ferrero-Pham said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere has been a lot of buzz about it on social media,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The highlight of the rally may be an appearance and speech by Councilmember Todd Gloria, who will speak at 12:30. Gloria has requested $1.2 million for initial engineering and design plans to get the $7.9 million dog park off the ground. It would include a full basketball court, community center and community garden.<\/p>\n
Gloria is optimistic that the amount will be approved by Mayor Kevin Faulconer\u2019s office in June because the city\u2019s budget environment is better than it has been in years.<\/p>\n
He also said the Normal Heights neighborhood\u2019s support for the dog park will help the project gain traction, similar to the neighborhoods of Mission Valley and Skyline, which were able to get fire stations for their neighborhoods.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen a community seizes upon a project, they can get it done,\u201d Gloria said.<\/p>\n
Ferrero-Pham will present Gloria with 1,200 signatures collected in Normal Heights from people supporting the dog park.<\/p>\n
Normal Heights resident Martha Fuentes and her Maltese poodle, Sheba, plan to attend the rally, although she thinks Sheba won\u2019t like all the other dogs at the proposed park. But she favors the park and thinks it will be a nice place to let the neighborhood dogs run loose and get exercise.<\/p>\n
Dog owners in Normal Heights now set their dogs free at Adams and Franklin elementary schools. Parents especially don\u2019t like it because their kids step in the dog aftermath.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo there are really a lot of people interested in this park besides dog owners,\u201d Ferrero-Pham said.<\/p>\n
The drive for the dog park and Ward Canyon Park expansion is led by residents themselves, said Normal Heights Community Planning Group Chair Caroline McKeown.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re just so pleased the community association has taken this over with their grassroots efforts,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The goal now is to get the park funded by the City Council, which she said is Gloria\u2019s job. Supporters need to be loud, get on social media and go to council meetings, she said. Getting Gloria\u2019s input was a major victory for moving forward with the park, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a huge step for us because it hasn\u2019t been on his wish list before,\u201d McKeown said.<\/p>\n
The park expansion would have some other benefits for the community, said Zeller, one dog park supporter who has no dog. He is also a member of the planning group. Traffic on the I-15 off ramp at Adams Avenue would be slightly rerouted, removing one traffic light.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe smoother traffic flow that will occur from the elimination of the signal and the\u00a0extension of two lanes for the off ramp\u00a0should improve flow and safety, especially in periods of\u00a0heavy traffic,\u201d Zeller said.<\/p>\n
Free live music will be offered by Gloria Aparicio. The San Diego Humane Society will have an adopt-a-pet booth, and Petco and Banfield animal care will be offering free goodie bags for those attending, Ferrero-Pham said. Free water and popcorn will be available, and of course dogs are welcome.<\/p>\n