We are a group of passionate Westminster citizens dedicated to preserving the Westminster Hills Open Space so that everyone can benefit, including dog walkers, runners, cyclists, bird watchers, and all other outdoor enthusiasts.
On June 3, the Westminster City Council stated their intention to re-zone the currently protected Open Space as a recreational off-leash dog park. This action would exclude many potential and current open space users and continue to degrade conditions on the property.
On January 10, the city released a commissioned report detailing conditions in the open space, which clearly confirms that current dog use is destroying it. Consistent with the city open space recommendations, we support reducing off-leash access for a variety of reasons:
Native birds, coyotes, and many other species are being displaced as dogs freely run through their habitats
Native plants including endangered shortgrass prairie are being trampled and destroyed by dog waste, and replaced with invasive species
Runners, cyclists, families with small children, and small or reactive dogs are currently unable to use the space without being chased by overeager large dogs
If you care about maintaining access to this open space for all users, please sign the petition and contact city council to express your support for reducing the size of the off-leash area. Help us preserve this space for everyone to use, not just dog owners!