EVERETT — Clark Park in north Everett could soon include an off-leash dog area.
It’s been in the works since 2019, with Everett Parks and Recreation working closely alongside the Bayside Neighborhood Association. On Tuesday, the Snohomish County Council approved a $10,000 grant to help the city develop the addition to the park.
Jane McClure, a former president and current events coordinator for the neighborhood association, said the idea surfaced when looking for ways to get more people involved with the park in a “positive way.”
With the neighborhood’s high population density, walkability and abundance of dogs, she said an off-leash area in Clark Park was the best option. The park already plays host to the association’s Bark in the Park event.
Angela Ely, the City Council’s executive assistant, said the city doesn’t have a precise timeline or design yet, but McClure estimates it will take up about one-third of the park.
Clark Park lies within one of the new “no sit, no lie” buffer zones. A perimeter of nearly 1½ miles of north downtown Everett prohibits sitting or lying down on city property, like sidewalks and streets.
Doing so is punishable as a misdemeanor, with a fine up to $500 and 90 days in jail. The council originally passed the ordinance in 2021, and expanded its reach in May.
City Council member Mary Fosse was against the expansion, but noted it doesn’t apply to parks like Clark. The park has long been a gathering place for unsheltered people.
“We are not opposed to the unsheltered and their need to participate in the space,” McClure said.
The neighborhood association tries to help and support all, but members are concerned about ongoing drug use in the park, she said.
McClure hopes with more neighbors and dogs there, it will boost foot traffic and interest in the park.
“Clark is the oldest park in Everett,” she said. “We don’t want to see a vital resource become an afterthought.”
Jenelle Baumbach: 360-352-8623; jenelle.baumbach@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @jenelleclar.
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