The Allen Township Dog Park may soon face temporary closures due to ongoing issues with pet waste not being properly disposed of by dog owners.
During the June 10 Allen Township Board of Supervisors meeting, Township Manager Ilene Eckhart said an increasing amount of waste is being left behind by dog owners, posing health risks for other pets and creating added, messy work for the township’s public works team.
“If people can’t follow the rules, maybe some [periodic] closures are warranted,” Eckhart told council. “[And] that is not going to be a popular thing with people who do follow the rules.”
Dog waste can cause illnesses and significant health risks for other pets. In addition to pet waste, pet toys are also being littered and left around the park. Toys are against park rules, as they may cause aggression between animals.
Supervisor Dale Hassler said the mess being left behind by some park visitors is not fair to public works, who track waste back to their facilities and must spend extra time cleaning equipment.
Eckhart said surveillance cameras are being added to the park to protect property, but it is up to visitors to police each other and make sure all rules are being followed.
A warning regarding possible closures will be posted at the park, giving visitors time to remediate these issues before closure becomes a reality.
In other news, supervisors continued to keep residents updated on the status of the recycling center in the 1400 block of Willowbrook Road. Last month, neighbors complained of noise, smells and even rodents coming from the property, which was issued a notice of zoning violation from the township on May 19.
“It is totally out of control,” Hassler said of the property.
Supervisor Jason Frack agreed.
“And they are not containing it,” Frack said of the property owners.
Eckhart told residents that the state’s Department of Environmental Protection has also issued a violation against the property.
Township Solicitor Lincoln Treadwell said the process is “proceeding” and asked residents to continue to send videos and photos of violations. However, he could not yet comment publicly on future steps.
“We are staying on top of it,” Frack said. “It is not getting forgotten. We are doing the best we can to resolve it.”
The property owner has until June 19 to appeal the zoning notice.
Finally, supervisors selected Grace Industries as the contractor for a median construction project at East Bullshead and Willowbrook roads. In 2023, township engineers proposed a median at the busy intersection to prevent tractor-trailers from turning onto East Bullshead. This project will be completed by October 2025 for $83,233.
The next Board of Supervisors meeting will be Tuesday, June 24 at 6 p.m.
