Dear Editor,
I note with interest the ‘Thumbs Up’ given to the new dog park at Kelly Reserve.
This park was constructed only metres away from the front doors of residents in Coleman Road without prior notice or discussion with them. Residents choose to live here because of the close proximity to the park. Construction commenced on 8th August 2019 around 7:30am, approximately eight hours prior to residents receiving a hand delivered notice to their mailboxes announcing the planned construction. Despite immediately voicing our concerns to the Parkes Shire Council office, our appeal was considered unimportant.
Surely a more appropriate location could have been chosen. We now experience constant barking, sometimes dogs fighting, often wailing and crying when left unattended and at least two nights this week dogs howled from 8:45pm for several hours.
Despite appropriate signs it is clear the information is not understood by either the dogs or their owners.
I suggest that future plans that directly impact on local residents should be appropriately brought to their attention and time allowed for community input. It is difficult to accept that in a time of financial constraint and obvious hardships experienced through the current drought that the expenditure of such a significant amount of money could not be better used within our community.
Resident of Coleman Road