Keep the dog park at Whistle Stop Park in Byron Center open

At its meeting on March 10, 2025, the Byron Township Board voted to close the dog park at Whistle Stop Park in Byron Center. The reason given was a noise complaint from a single household near the park.

What concerns us most is how the decision was made. Neither a discussion of the dog park nor a vote on closing it appeared on the published meeting agenda. Residents who use the park every day had no chance to learn about the proposal, let alone speak to it before it was approved.

The dog park is a shared public amenity. It gives owners a safe, fenced place to exercise their dogs, helps keep other parks and sidewalks calmer, and has become a meeting point for neighbors of every age. Closing it should not be settled quietly on the basis of one complaint.

We believe the township can look for practical ways to address noise, such as opening hours or layout changes, without taking the park away from everyone. Public decisions about public spaces should be made openly, with notice and with the community present.

We will bring this petition to the next board meeting, on April 14, 2025, at the township offices at 8085 Byron Center Ave SW. Anyone who wants to keep the dog park open is welcome to attend. You do not need to speak; simply being in the room shows the board how many people care.