By Geoff Page
A recent survey of the newly completed Dog Beach fence sadly confirmed the concerns detailed in The Rag’s earlier stories on it. The fence is not doing well.
This the third piece The Rag has done on the new fence. The first was October 9, 2020. The second was November 9 last year.
To refresh memories on what the fence is, it is a system of tall 4×4 posts, four rows of twisted wire, and wooden slats. It runs like tunnels, lining paths on both sides intending to keep people – and more importantly dogs – on prescribed routes. There are three “exits” from the main path across the dunes toward the river, also lined with fence.
The main goal was to keep dogs out of the wetland area and off the “dunes.” The little collection of small sand piles are called dunes and some people think these needed protection. Anyone who has ever seen the Atlantic Ocean beach dunes or the Santa Cruz dunes would laugh at these sand piles being called dunes. The sand berm the city builds every winter dwarfs these so-called dunes.
Keeping dogs out of the wetland on the south side of the path is an admirable goal. People never walked in that area, but dogs would chase birds there so a fence makes some sense. But, the dune side made no sense. People created a number of paths from the main path through the dunes over many years. The attempt to limit people to three paths has failed miserably as the pictures will show.
The fence was only recently completed and it has several holes in it already, mostly where existing paths were that people still want to use. The wires are cut and the slats are gone. In other areas, the fence sags or leans. There is a large diameter rope strung through the posts at the tops. It is a very expensive rope and it is only a matter of time before people begin cutting and stealing it, which looks to be very easy.
The four twisted wires running from post to post were poorly placed. There are two near the top and two near the bottom leaving a very weak center section. And, there is nothing to indicate that any wildlife could ever fit through it, except for the new breaks of course.
The main mistake made was lining the dune side. The fence around the wetland is intact and that should have been all they built. The dune side will surely continue to suffer. Good intentions very poorly designed and executed. The pictures tell the story.
Geoff — is that your new puppy in one of the pics? What’s it’s name?
No, actually, that is the dog I had already. The new dog is bigger, brown, part ridgeback. Very pretty. I had her at Dog Beach this morning, she loves it down there.
But for the disrespect of dog owners, the environment and the fence could be an asset to the area. Your denigrating view of “dunes” lacks any insight on their worth.
You are making an unsupported assumption that it was dog owners who cut the fence. There are a number of homeless camps in the “dunes.” The vast majority of dog owners are very respectful, responsible people.
Please explain the “worth” of these tiny sand piles. Have you ever seen a real dune?