North Bend, Ore. — The recent closure of the Airport Heights Dog Park at Southwest Oregon Regional Airport has left many North Bend and Coos Bay residents frustrated and concerned, as it marks the loss of the area’s second dog park. With only one remaining, community members are speaking out, emphasizing the importance of these spaces for both dogs and people in the region.
The decision to close the dog park came on February 3, following a request from the volunteers who had been maintaining it, according to the Coos County Airport District. The closure has sparked conversations about the park’s impact on the physical and mental health of residents, as well as its role in attracting tourists to the area.
Joseph DeGroot, a local resident and disabled veteran with PTSD, expressed his disappointment. “I just was amazed, not knowing the implications, socially, of what a dog park could mean for the community with paraplegics, amputees, people with Alzheimer’s, loners, people with PTSD,” DeGroot said. “Now, that’s gone away, and I isolate, and it’s not good for me and it’s not good for my dog.”
Rick Bilodeau, another resident, echoed these concerns, pointing out the financial and tourism benefits of the park. “From a financial point of view, which the city might be interested in, it brings in people. We’ve had a lot of tourists come through town and they’ll just shake their head at this small park and move on.”
According to the Coos County Airport District, the park’s closure was driven by a decline in volunteer numbers and an increase in household garbage being left on the site. These challenges, combined with issues of pet owners not cleaning up after their dogs, made it difficult for the aging volunteer group to continue maintaining the park.
“Volunteer numbers have dwindled and more household garbage has been left at the site, making it difficult for the group, which was predominantly made up of older volunteers, to maintain the park,” explained Stephanie Kilmer, the district’s public information officer.
Beyond the lack of volunteers, some of the park’s volunteers voiced concerns about the park’s condition. Mona Hayward, a former volunteer, noted that the park was particularly inadequate for larger dogs. “The ground is not manageable at this time. We would have to redo the whole ground area. The park is satisfactory for small dogs, but as far as bigger dogs, it’s just not enough room, and so the dogs tear up the ground,” she said.
City officials in North Bend, already grappling with a $1 million budget deficit, have indicated that maintaining or developing new dog parks is not a priority at the moment. City Manager David Milliron explained that the city’s resources are stretched thin, with the council’s focus on addressing roads, housing, and public safety.
“We have a $1 million budget shortfall, so we’re going to have to look at cuts,” Milliron said. “The council has us go out and survey the community, and they came back, and their top priorities were indeed roads, housing, and public safety.”
While Milliron acknowledged the importance of dog parks, he did not completely rule out the possibility of a future dog park in North Bend. “If the community and partners step up, we can explore our options,” he said. “We’d have to have a good location, money to build and maintain it, and voter approval for any fees.”
As the debate continues, many in the community remain hopeful that a solution can be found, whether through increased volunteer support, partnerships, or public funding. For now, however, residents are left grappling with the loss of a beloved space for their pets and themselves.
