Dog Park Becoming Reality in Cathedral City

Dog Park Coming to Panorama Park

CATHEDRAL CITY — One Cathedral City resident pronounced on social media that a new dog park planned in Panorama Park, one of the city’s oldest parks, will be the best in Coachella Valley. There could be some truth to that pronouncement.

The City Council has reviewed a preliminary design for the Panorama Dog Park, which will be located on the east side of the park along Avenida Maravilla. The dog park will be fenced and include separate fenced areas for large dogs and small dogs. Visitors and their dogs will enter through a sally port designed to prevent dogs from running free prior to their entry into either the large dog or small dog areas.

Features of the park will include trees and landscaping designed to provide shade but will likely also include shade structures of some type. Seating areas for people will be provided along with water stations, pet waste stations, trash cans and pet challenge equipment, according to City Manager Charlie McClendon.

The City Council anticipates awarding purchasing contracts on Jan. 12 for the fencing, shade structures and other long lead-time items with contracts for other features being awarded on Jan. 26. Assuming no unusual supply chain issues, the target date for the opening of the dog park is April 1, 2022, according to McClendon.

Fulfilling the community’s desire for dog park facilities has been a priority for the City Council for some time, according to McClendon. To that end, Council set aside money for the Panorama Dog Park in the budget for the current fiscal year, which was adopted last May. Additional money for a second pet park was also provided. That will be addressed in the coming months.

The City Council held a special study session meeting on Nov. 30, 2021. Among the topics discussed were the new Dog Park in Panorama Park and revisions to the municipal code related to dogs in parks and specific new regulations for the new park.

Council also asked staff to return on Dec. 8 for first reading of an ordinance amendment, which would allow dogs in parks in general provided that they are on a leash and owners clean up after their dogs. Pet waste stations will be installed in each of the parks providing waste bags and disposal locations. If the proposed ordinance amendment is approved, it will receive second reading on Jan. 12 and become effective 30 days after that.

The new ordinance, according to McClendon, will also establish regulations for the use of dog parks. As currently proposed requirements will include:

• Dogs must be at least 4 months old, vaccinated for rabies and licensed
• Dogs must be in the care of a person of at least 13 years old and no person may have more than two dogs in their care at the park
• Dogs must be under voice control of the caretakers
• Dogs must be spayed or neutered, and must not display aggressive behavior toward other dogs or people
• No digging is allowed and if a dog does dig the owner must fill in the hole
• No food allowed and owners must clean up behind their dogs