SAVE OUR

DOG PARK

Portland PARKS & REC IS TRYING TO SHRINK Lents Off-Leash DOG Area IN HALF AND TURN IT INTO A MUD PIT.

We can stop this together

you can take action now

Neighbors—Lents Off-Leash Dog Area is at risk. The Bureau of Parks & Recreation is moving forward with plans to shrink our off-leash area to a fraction of its size and replace it with a design that will turn into a mud pit in winter and a dust bowl in summer. Most of us only just found out, and we haven’t been given a chance to weigh in. This park is essential for our dogs, our health, and our community—especially in a neighborhood like ours where most of us don’t have big yards or easy access to other resources. We need to act now to pause the plans, demand community meetings, and protect the space we rely on. Join us in speaking up!

TAKE ACTION- CLIck here:

WHAT’S Being Proposed:

Portland Parks & Recreation could break ground any day, help save our dog park NOw!

Here is what the proposal will mean for Lents Dog People:

  • The off-leash dog area will be shrunk to less than half its current size (approx 60% smaller)

  • That area will then be separated into 2 smaller areas, leaving dogs with 20% of the play space they have now

  • All grass will be torn out, replaced by a dusty, muddy substrate

  • Increased drainage is not part of the plan, according to the Parks and Rec webpage

  • The fence will increase the ability for people to get ticketed $50-150 for leash law violations.

  • The substrate will make our dogs dirty and lead to fewer people using the dog park

  • Fewer people using the dog park will lead to a loss of community and likely more violations of leash laws

    Read full Parks & Recreation proposal here: https://www.portland.gov/parks/lents-park

SIGN THE PETITION

HERE’S OUR PETITION, ON CHANGE.ORG: https://www.change.org/lentsdogpark

Portland Parks and Recreation is planning to shrink Lents Dog Park to a fraction of its size and turn it into a muddy, unusable space—and the community was barely informed. We need your help to pause construction and protect this vital public space.

Sign now to demand a stop to the redesign until the community has a voice.

We, the residents and park users of Lents and surrounding Portland neighborhoods, are calling on the Portland Bureau of Parks and Recreation to immediately pause the planned redesign of the Lents Park off-leash dog area.

The current plan would:

  • Drastically reduce the size of the off-leash dog area

  • Replace usable open space with a design that will become a mud pit in winter and dust bowl in summer

  • Move forward without meaningful input from the people who use the park every day

  • Disregard how the space is actually used by the community

For many Lents residents, this dog park is the only safe and accessible place to let our dogs run. We live in a working-class neighborhood where many homes have small yards, or no yard at all. This space brings people together year-round—rain or shine. Redesigning it without consulting us does not reflect the needs or values of the community it serves.

We’re not against park improvements. We welcome them—but they must reflect the real needs of the people who use the space. We are ready to collaborate. What we ask is simple: hit pause and talk to us first.

We demand that Portland Parks and Recreation:

  1. Pause all construction plans related to the dog park redesign

  2. Hold community meetings to gather feedback from actual park users and residents

  3. Protect the current size and function of the off-leash area so it remains accessible, welcoming, and practical

We need your signature to show the city that this community cares—and that we won’t let our green space be taken without a fight.

👉 Sign and share to help protect Lents Dog Park. Let’s do this together.

SEND An EMAIL

WE’VE CRAFTED SOME EMAIL TEMPLATES YOU CAN EDIT (OR NOT!) TO MAKE IT EASY TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD: SAVE OUR DOG PARK!

HOW TO:

1. Copy script

2. Contact Portland Parks & Recreation:

email Scripts for Portland PArks and Recreation:

Script TO GAIN SUPPORT FROM OUR DISTRICT 1 PORTLAND CITY COUNCILORS:

HOW TO:

1. Copy script

2. Contact Councilors using these links:

A PHONE CALL SHOWS HOW IMPORTANT LENTS DOG PARK IS TO YOU! Follow the steps below to contact the Portland Bureau of Parks and Recreation. It’s easy to leave a message with our script as a guide.

Make A phone call

HOW TO:

1. Script coming soon- any phone call is helpful right now!

2. Contact Portland Parks & Recreation:

  • Ross Swanson, Portland Parks Capital Project Manager

  • Adena Long, Director of Portland Parks & Recreation

  • Max Katz, Project Coordinator

    • 971-917-5338

PHONE Scripts for Portland PArks and Recreation:

Thank you for helping save our dog park!

Want to get more involved?

Join the Dog Park Crew and help craft a better plan for our Dog Park!