2009 Cover Letter Golden Garden Dog Training

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July 1, 2009 (Click here and enter recipient’s name and address) Dear Thank you for your continued personal interest in Golden Gardens Park. Taking into consideration recent changes to the park, expected changes in park use, and in order to provide a balance between the various recreational uses as well as wildlife needs, the City is revising conditions for permitted dog training activities in the park. Golden Gardens Park provides a variety of recreational opportunities as well as important habitat for wildlife. Recreational uses include walking, running, bird watching, dog-walking, dog training and other activities. Recent changes to the park, and publicity associated with those changes, are expected to increase overall use of the park. Wildlife species using the ponds include the western pond turtle, breeding native waterfowl, and water-dependent mammals, such as beaver, muskrat and river otter. Areas important for wildlife include south and west facing pond banks where Western pond turtles are believed to be nesting, as well as areas of the pond within 15’ of exposed logs, which provide critical basking sites for the turtles in spring, summer, and fall. Turtle hatchlings emerge and travel down to the water between mid-March and mid-May, and turtle nesting occurs from mid-May to mid-July. Waterfowl, including native geese and ducks, begin nesting in March and continue through May. Much of the bird and mammal activity in the park, including beaver, muskrat, and otter, occurs at dawn and dusk. We are pleased to issue you a Vehicle Access Permit for dog training purposes good through October 31, 2009. Only vehicles with permits from Parks and Open Space are allowed within the park boundary. The permit must be displayed on the vehicle dashboard so it is visible at all times when the vehicle is inside the park boundary. POS or City of Eugene Police Department staff may ask parties not displaying a permit to cease training activities and remove vehicles from the park. The north gate shall be kept locked at all times except when entering and exiting through the gate. The lock combination for the gate at the Clear Lake Road access site is 6-5-9-2. Please contact Clara Matsler (682-4908) if you experience any difficulty accessing the gate with the combination. Permitted parking is limited to the road between the main pond and north pond as shown on attached map. Vehicles must be attended at all times.