Citizen Petition re Hoyt Field

June 20, 2022 • Cambridge City Council 795 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 Cambridge Community Development Department 344 Broadway Cambridge, MA 02139 Marcia Hamilton 23 Montague Street #2 Cambridge, MA 02139 Petition to block extending additional time whereas dogs can be taken off leash while in Hoyt Direct Abutters, Home Owners and Residents in the Riverside area who boarder or live in the immediate areas surrounding Hoyt Field oppose any and all submitted proposal(s) for designating and/or extending time or adding additional time to the Hoyt field Dog Group (HFDG) or any other dog group that is seeking time that would allow dogs to be unleashed in the morning, at the end of the traditional workday, in the late afternoon and/or early evening while in our beloved Hoyt Field Park. Hoyt field is one of the premiere parks in the city. There is everything in the park. that allows residents to enjoy both adult and children activities. Those activities are ongoing. They occur mornings, evenings and at night. Look at the layout of the park and think about what goes on there. There are two children's playgrounds. One for toddlers and one for pre-teen children that are a little older. There is a teen center with after school programs for both teens and

preteens. There are tennis courts. There are sprinklers and water faucets. There are family nights in the park with and puppet shows held in the park at night. Local organizations and residents have brought carnival rides and activities to the park. Basketball, baseball, volley ball and soccer games are played in the park during the day and in the evenings. There is roller skating in the basketball area. There are tables, chairs and benches. Parents hold birthday parties for their children in the park. Residents have picnics here while their children enjoy the amenities of the park. The park is known as a great place to hold family reunions, watch fireworks, and attend organized city functions not limited to and including evening movies entire families attend, free barbeque cook-outs and other night activities for the children. Hungry children and elders are given free lunches while in the park. Simply put, we the petitioners feel there are too many numerous children/teen and adult activities that are ongoing during the day and the evening that would be disrupted or become nonexistent if the city allowed additional afternoon and/or evening time for unleased dogs to be in the park. The mixture (children and dogs) of the two groups becomes a disaster waiting to happen. • Parents who work and have only the time after work to spend with their children often take them to the park in the evening to enjoy its amenities and want to do it without the threat of unleashed dogs running around. • Apparently, the city did not recognize that the bulk of the petitioner's signatures submitted to them in both petitions did not contain signatures of direct abutters, home owners or residents who live in close proximity to Hoyt field thereby not giving those who would be directly affected by the petitions a chance for their voices to be heard and respond to the petition before the city makes its decision. Instead, they were given signatures of residents and non-residents of Cambridge at large who are part of their HFDG group and who primarily only come to the park to take their dogs off leash and socialize. We hope this petition will be the remedy to that. • Hoyt field is not a dog park and local residents do not want it to become a dog park. Granting these requests by the HFDG seems to us to be a hidden agenda and deliberate steps in the process of turning Hoyt field into a designated dog park.

• The sign regarding allotting time for unleashed dogs in Hoyt field is not posted at the park entrances instead it is posted in an inconspicuous place in the park not easily seen and often bypassed by people using the park. • If members of the HFDG or other dog owners want to exercise their dogs off leash during afternoon and evenings there are several established and designated dog parks in the city and where they can take their dogs during those time periods. They are not limited to Hoyt field. • Late afternoons and evenings are times baseball, tennis, basketball and soccer playing occur in the park on a frequent basis and children are still playing in the parks and sprinklers during those times. Granting dog owner additional hours during these times is in direct conflict with established activities that have been on going in the park for years and years. • Since the time the city allowed unleased dogs in Hoyt field conflict has arisen between members of the HFDG and residents, city facility managers, and city workers. Members of the HFDG have started arguments with all three groups. It appears that they think the park is exclusively for them during the specified off leash time. • They have told residents that they cannot be in the park during that time unless they had a dog and if they were bit by an off leash dog it would be the residents' fault. That is not true. • They have had arguments with the teen center director when she has told them to remove their dog from the toddler playground or to pick up the dog feces that their dog has left there. Several times they have ignored her. She said she doesn't argue with them anymore instead she calls animal control. • Some of the children a child care provider took to the toddler playground got rashes and ringworm due to dog feces and dog urine being in the playground. • Two HFDG members approached a city worker who had opened the gates on Montague Street and one of them told him that he had to close the gates and move his truck as her dog was off leash and could run out the gate into the street. The HFDG got very loud and angry while talking to the city worker. When the city worker pointed out to her that there were four other entrances/exits to the park that didn't even have gates and could not

be ever closed and she didn't seem worried about her dog getting out of the park using those gates she became angrier with him. It ended when the city worker told the women that he had a job to do and would not close the gates. Furthermore, he specifically told her if she had a problem, she could call his supervisor. He put on his head phones got on his equipment and proceeded to groom the park. • Time has been allotted to unleashed dogs in Hoyt field but that doesn't mean that other people cannot use the park during that time. Dog owners, specifically members of HFDG do not have the right to demand no one else be in the park at that time including residents and city workers. If they were allowed more time more conflict will occur because of their attitudes. • Many residents have seen dog feces in both the toddlers and preteen children's playgrounds. We have watched dogs drink from the water faucets and chase or run up to children playing in the park. We have seen dog owners let their dogs run through the sprinklers. Some of our children have gotten rashes and ring worms from the dog excrement in the playgrounds. This is not acceptable. • Many residents say they no longer take their children to the park in winter to play specifically because the park becomes a cesspool of dog excrement and urine not properly disposed of by dog owners in winter. • It is obvious that many members of the HFDG have not been responsible dog owners while their dogs are off-leash in the park. Often members are socializing in a group on one side of the park while their dogs are defecating on the other side of the park or defecating in the children's playgrounds. The owners do not leave the group to pick up the dog feces when this happens. Instead, they continue to socialize pretending that they didn't see the dog defecate. The number of dogs frequenting the park has risen since the 6:00 AM - 9:00 AM time frame was allotted to them regarding having off leashed dogs in the park, so has the amount of dog feces one sees on the ground in and around the park increased. One can understand that members of the HFDG find Hoyt field a uniquely pleasant place that is usually well kept and can accommodates many groups but

they need to understand that we want to keep it that way. It is a people's park. It is not a dog park: Residents would have voiced their opinion to their first petition had they been informed. Now that this second petition regarding unleashed dogs has been submitted and the residents are hearing of the petition, they want their voices and opinions to be heard regarding both petitions submitted to the city and they want to let the city know that they are not in favor of granting the HFDG or any other dog group owners time (including additional time) to have unleashed dogs in our beloved Hoyt field park and that we are trying hard to deal with the time we did not know was already allotted to off-leashed dogs in Hoyt field because of the negative ways it directly affects us. We respectfully ask the city not to approve the petition submitted by the members of the HFDG to grant them additional time to allow their dogs be unleashed while in Hoyt field and to nullify the recent ordinance regarding off leashed dogs in Hoyt field as there are and were many alternatives to the actions requested by the HFDG at the time both the first and second of the dog petitions were submitted. Lastly, we would request and appreciate additional time to submit our petition in its entirety to the city before a decision is granted. We would also appreciate it if we were notified by the city of any additional or further meetings or petition's regarding dog issues in Hoyt field in a timely manner so that we can be included in the decision-making process by voicing our opinions, informing our neighbors of what's going on and become able to react in a timely manner to any issues that "directly affects us and Hoyt Field and/or has impact related to but not limited to our property values, taxes, parking issues, lifestyle and safety of our children". Sincerely and respectfully submitted, Marcia Zanestos Marcia Hamilton 23 Montague Street Cambridge, MA 02139 [phone removed] Direct Abutter to Hoyt field, Home Owner, lifelong resident of the Riverside community and co-author of this petition.

A SUGGESTION TO THE CITY On Memorial Drive in the area near the swimming pool where the baby pool used to be located is what locals call The Memorial Drive dog park. This space is 3 blocks from Hoyt field. It boasts a large fenced in space where locals have been taking their dogs unleashing them and allowing them to play. This area could be the ideal space to have dogs off leash, exercised and play. Locals have been using this space at any and all times of the day for off leashed dogs. This space would satisfy both the needs of dog groups as well as the requests of residents to not allow dogs to go unleashed while in Hoyt field. The City of Cambridge brags that it has spare money it doesn't know what to do with and it asks residents for suggestions on how it should spend that money. This is a project worth their consideration. There are many reasons why all groups involved should look at and consider this space as a space for unleashed dogs other than Hoyt field. 1. It is located 3 blocks from Hoyt field. 2. The area would not be closed to dog owners during mornings, afternoons or evenings. It could remain open for their use during the entire day. 3. There is adequate parking there for dog owners. There is a walking bridge over the drive. 4. No residents or children use that space. It could be arranged that no activity other than owner/dog activity be held in that space. 5. The turf in that area is equally maintained as the turf in Hoyt field. There are benches in the area for dog owners to use and watch their dogs while they exercise and play off leash. 6. There would not be a mixture of children and dogs using the same space at the same time. 7. There would be no interference or cancelation of established activities such as those that occur on a daily basis at Hoyt field due to unleashed dogs in the park.

8. It would be easier and more practical to update or improve the area on the river than to grant the members of the HFDG their petition requests of additional time to allow their dogs to go off leash in Hoyt field. 9. The specific times they are requesting are during the peak time activity such as basketball, baseball, soccer and volley ball are being played in the park. These types of activity draw crowds of people and children. Unleased dogs and those activities occurring at the same time equal a disaster. It would just be a matter of time. 10.The Memorial dog park would meet all of the dog groups requests. It is already opened for any and all of the specific hours the HFDG is requesting at Hoyt field via their latest petition. 11. The members of the HFDG state in their petition that cosmetic items such as lights on at night and good turf are some of the reasons, they like Hoyt field. At Memorial Drive the turf is equally maintained. It would not take much effort for the city to put in lights at the Memorial Drive dog park or turn existing lights in the area on. 12.The Memorial Drive dog park is an empty canvas waiting for HFDG or other dog owners to update and improve to their specification and needs. It could become a better place for dogs to run loose than Hoyt field because there is not a lot of people activity going on there. The City of Cambridge has been asking Cambridge residents for years what they should do with their extra money. Updating designated dog parks with input from dog owners and local residents is what they could do with some of that money. Respectfully submitted Marcia Famettin Marcia Hamilton 23 Montague Street Cambridge, MA 02139

June 14,2022 TESTIMONIALS Of ABUTTERS andRESIDENTS Often the dog owners ignore the fact that they should clean up their dog feces while in the park. We have all seen dog owners turn their backs while socializing as if they don't notice their dogs are defecating or where the dog is defecating. When the owners are socializing on one side of the park and their unleashed dog is on the other side of the park defecating the owner doesn't walk to where the dog defecated to pick it up. He/she just continues to socialize. If you take a walk through the park, you will see feces everywhere. In the winter time it is especially noticeable. Baseball and soccer players should not have to stop their games due to unleashed dogs approaching players. Members of the teen center located at the park should not have to curb their activities because unleashed dogs are in the area. Owners of the dogs should not be allowed to let their dogs defecate in the children's playgrounds. Owners of the dogs should not be allowed to wash their dog or cool their dog under the sprinklers in the park that are meant for children and they should absolutely not allow their dogs to drink directly from the faucets in the park when they are turned on. When there are social activities or after school programs for children in the park, dog owners come into the park with unleashed dogs, ignoring the facts that there are activities going on. Many times, the kids don't want to participate in the activities because of the amount of feces in the park and because unleashed dogs will run up toward them which often scares them. Baseball games are interrupted by these unleashed dogs as well. Dogs that are unleased often run out of the park and into the street and some of the dogs have even come onto abutters properties.

Aura - I am angry that the city made their decision to allow dog owners time to unleash their dogs while in Hoyt field without contacting Direct Abutters first to get their opinions or giving us home owners a chance to say what we feel is wrong or right about doing that. Unlike the dog owners, we live here. We deal with the consequences of the dog's and the dog owner's behaviors while they are in the park and we deal with it after they have all gone home. Did the city and the dog owners have public meetings before they made their decision? If they did, I wasn't notified. I consider not being notified of the issue of dogs being able to be unleashed while in the park and the city making a decision without hearing my input an underhanded sneaky move by the city to help their personal friends. Marcia - SMH - I feel that the city has been especially sneaky and underhanded regarding the issue of unleashed dogs by deliberately ignoring Direct Abutters when making decisions about an area that borders our homes. The first thing you do when there is a petition is look to see who signed it. If you don't see abutters names you know its shady. To hear about a decision by the city that directly affects you and your property after the fact is most hurtful and underhanded in my book. I don't think it's right to go behind constituents backs to get what you want. I want to know which city councilors were involved. I'll be remembering this on voting day. Cry - This is how I understand this and what i don't get. Some dog people get together and make a petition asking the city to give them time during the day when they can unleash their dogs while in Hoyt. They go around and get signatures for their petition from basically their friends, co-workers etc. most who don't even live in the area. They use their doggie website to keep their actions hidden from the public at large. They purposely do not contact most direct abutters, homeowners or residents who live in the immediate area of the park to sign their petition because they know it is members of those groups who call Animal Control when their off-leash dogs interrupt park activity, chase the kids or make too much noise (unless that person is a part of their group). They submit their petition to the city. The city doesn't contact direct abutters, homeowners and residents in close proximity to the park to ask them how they feel about the dog owner's requests nor do they question the dog owners as to why people from those particular groups have not signed their petition. The petition passes. Now a second petition is out there. This time the dog owners want to extend the time

• If members of the HFDG or other dog owners want to exercise their dogs off-leash during afternoon and evenings there are several established and designated dog parks in the city and near Hoyt field where they can take their dogs. It does not have to be Hoyt field. • 3 streets away from Hoyt field on Memorial Drive there is a designated dog park near the swimming pool. It is a large fenced in area. There is adequate parking there for dog owners. • It would be easier and more practical to update or improve the designated Memorial Drive dog park that is located only a few minutes and streets from Hoyt field than to grant the members of the HFDG their petition requests regarding Hoyt field which we feel is in direct conflict with the way the residents use the park now. • The Memorial dog park is already opened for any and all of the exact hours the HFDG is requesting via their latest petition. • The members of the HFDG state one of the reasons they like Hoyt field for their dogs is because the lights are on during the evening at Hoyt field and the park is well maintained. Put in lights at the Memorial Drive dog park or turn existing lights in the area on. Problem solved. • The Memorial Drive dog park is an empty canvas waiting for HFDG or other dog owners to update and improve to their specification and needs. It could become a better place for dogs than in Hoyt field because there is not a lot of people activity going on there. Norma - I am a child care provider. I watch children while their parents are working. Most of the children I care for are toddlers. I would bring the children Commented [MH1]: to the toddler's playground in Hoyt field. Some of my children started developing rashes and some of them got ringworm. I talked to other child care providers and mothers who frequently used the toddler playground as their children were getting rashes and ringworm too. It turned out that kids were being infected due to dog feces and dog urine being in the sand they played in at the playgrounds. • The recent decision to allowing Hoyt field to be used as an off-leash area for unleashed dogs at any time during the day should be rescinded, nulled and voided.

CONCLUSION As Direct Abutters to Hoyt field park we did not agree to allowing unleashed dogs in Hoyt field park. The decision was made without our input. We now do not agree to the city extending any additional time for dog owners to unleash their dogs while in the Hoyt field park. We feel they have been given ample time by the city to allow their dogs off-leash. We are opposed to Hoyt Field ever becoming a dog park for the reasons stated. To be honest, we are opposed to dogs being "off-leash" at any time while in the Hoyt field park and would have voiced our opinions had we been notified in a timely manner of what was going on regarding this issue. We feel that because of the fact that there are two playgrounds for toddlers and older children along with a teen center, sprinklers, basketball court, tennis court and regular scheduled children's activity ongoing in the park, unleashed dogs pose a great threat to both adults and children who frequent the park. Therefore, the petition should become invalid, disregarded and thrown out in its entirety. The city should not act on laws that "may change in the future" but must act on laws that are "in place" when the problem/violation occurs. Respectfully submitted, Marcia Hamilton Marcia Hamilton 23 Montague Street Cambridge, MA 02139

Date _6 / 21 /2022 This petition is a response from members of the Riverside community to address the petition sent to the city requesting additional time for dog owners to have their dogs go unleashed while they are in Hoylt field park. As Direct Abutters, residents and home owners living in the Riverside area close to Hoylt field park we do not agree to the city extending any additional time for dog owners to have their dogs unleashed while in the Hoylt park. We feel that the current city ruling granting dog owners' permission to unleash their dogs in the park during the 6 AM - 9 AM time period each day is more than ample time to allow dogs to be off leash while in Hoylt field park. We do not want Hoylt field to become a designated city dog park. As direct abutters, residents and members of the Riverside community we feel that it is of the utmost importance for us to voice our opinions and to be heard regarding this issue before it may get finalized by the city. We want to express to the city our disapproval of their recent current decision regarding allowing off leash dogs in our beloved park. We want the city to specifically be aware of how home owners, residents and abutters in Riverside view their decisions and how those decisions directly impact us in multiple negative ways including but not limited to our property values, parking, safety of our children, care of the park etc. when they do not inform us or allow our voices to be heard before they make final decisions regarding off leash dogs and other Riverside community decisions.

NAME ADDRESS 5BALLORD PLACEH1 - AURA EdwARdS CAMBRidge M1A.02139 ESMERALda 3-5 BALLORA PL. RAthRiNa CAMbRIdGE MA. 02/39 NAME ADDRESS = NORMA ASPRiLLA 3 BALLORD PL#2 CAMBRidge MA. D2139 = Rederick Jackson 3 BALLORO PL#2 CAM.BRidge MA. 02139 NAME ADDRESS = YANthia de Jesus -3 ballord PL. CAMbRiLGE Ma 02139 Chen Tracy Ballod PL. #TA CAMBRidge MA. 02139 ADDRESS NAME 2 Ballora PL. - Raul Solano CambRidGe Ma 02139 dogwalker,.

NAI E ADDKESS Marcia Pamilton 23 Montague Strect -Horma Asprilla 3 Balorl PL2 Camb. YUN. 02139 Karer Penase 244 Westur Avenue 62139 NAME ADDRESS -Hide Mizuno 8 Ballord PL -Trach chen 7 Ballord pL #A -Gang chen 1 Ballord PL #A 300 Western Ave Ary huathy NAME ADDRESS 3 Ballora Place Vanthia Dejesns 3 Ballard Place 42 Esmevalde Aspnlla 14 hingham Shelby Hayres 317 Western Axe Maya chandler 15 carisle st ADDRESS NAME NA - Rainy 244 Western Ave Dennis Lightfoot 137 Putwans Ave Michael Nichols - Matthew Willard 9 Putham Gandens #79 7 Cameroy AUl # 307 -anita Tabore

ADURESS NAME 1 leianton street - Kaitlun Keles sian fique Cambridge male 4( ADDRESS NAMES MANitA DANUELS /whittemoRE AVE # 410 MA 02140 NAME ADDRESS 90 FAWCETT CARIA 02178 - Carlos L. MAYNARI 14 HoWARA st At 3L Cambridg MA 0213 375 Norfull sx. coms ma Anelligade é ADDRESS NAME B. CARP • webster AvE CAMb nA 02M1 -Visaria Givans 243 Broadwau Dignarys Rodriguez Cambridge MA

ADOKESS NAME Valencia Givans 40 Nosesse 0zi40 Latashia Pogue 190 RINAge AVe - Mical frie - Bethzaida Otero marketst.#3 camb. 0x134 NAME ADDRESS 1331 Comme well « ef v d 2515 Mass Aue Kaister Pine Josh Elder 237 FRANKLINSt изеч •Joanna Elder 50 york strees 1 Chinara Fider 2l09 Broadway ADDRESS NA REagert Lukas S may st 74 225 Wallens Gabrielle Came Felicia Fifield Putan Are Haline Zuwan 612 Concord AVe 14 Rooset Towers t52 Pange Mois ADDRESS NAME 263 Columbia st Haulene Gous

NAME ADDKESS i ARAm Dottin 210 BRooKLiNE 5t NAME ADDRESS NAME ADDRESS ADDRESS NAME

NAME ADDRESS CRystah BETTS 280 WESTERN QUENuE Cambeidgi MA 02639 Anda Williaus 812 Menorenl Dseiu apte5 Camb Mt Shanke baynes 237 frankin 56.1508 cambridge M Saundra Saham 189 Nestern Ave Camb-Me. Cal Mahon 189 Western Ave CHab mAS