Schaumburg dog park opens, but pond stays closed

The Schaumburg Park District's hotly anticipated dog park opened as scheduled Wednesday - but not the use of its pond, which became a point of contention with a local critic recently.

Recent water quality tests showed that the detention pond at Copley Park in Schaumburg was not appropriate for the use of dogs after all, an argument made during the past few months by Hoffman Estates resident Marc Kovitz.

Schaumburg Park District Executive Director Tony LaFrenere said the readings exceeded recommended guidelines for the amount of e coli and fecal coliform bacteria - probably due to the geese population in the area.

Kovitz said he was appreciative of LaFrenere's professionalism in reaching out to him with the news.

"Schaumburg (Park District) stepped up to the plate and did their thing," Kovitz said.

Nevertheless, the main part of the park proved as popular as expected on opening day. By midafternoon, about 40 people and their dogs had visited the park, with 20 or so there simultaneously at lunchtime, LaFrenere said.

Only positive feedback was received on Wednesday itself, but when registrants were notified of the pond closure in recent days, some said they wanted to use it at their own risk. But LaFrenere said he didn't think it best to offer that option.

Kovitz had been critical of the park district offering access to the detention pond for its water quality as well as for its depth and the plan to leave it unattended during the times people were most likely to visit the park with their pets.

The fact that the pond is now fenced and the gate accessing its zero-depth pier to be kept locked at least until the spring has satisfied Kovitz's concerns, he said.

But he's not taking any satisfaction in being right, he added.

"I'm not looking for vindication," Kovitz said. "I'm just looking for people to not be so closed-minded and consider other possibilities."

Though park district officials said they plan to retest the water in the spring, Kovitz is skeptical there'll be any difference.

"You can look at it again in the spring, but remember, every time there's a storm that water's going to be churned up again," he said. "If it's not good now, how's it going to get good later?"

Kovitz believes a significant difference between the Copley Park detention pond and water features at dog parks in other communities is that the Schaumburg pond isn't refreshed by other sources of fresh water. A detention pond's whole purpose is to collect stormwater from streets and parking collects, carrying with it all the salt and other contaminants that accumulate there, he said.

He continues to suggest the park district consider a four-inch-deep splash pool at the park. Kovitz believes dogs would enjoy it even more than the pond and it would pose no danger to young children - or anyone else - walking their dogs alone at the park.

LaFrenere said the park district is open to considering such a feature when future improvements to the dog park are discussed.

The dog park is opening with a capacity of 500 registered users. So far, 430 people have signed up, including 10 nonresidents who were able to register for the first time on Wednesday.