A dog park planned for the town of Walden is stirring up controversy among residents.
The controversy involves the chosen location, a 5-acre tract of the McCoy property where the former caretaker lived. The McCoy Farm & Gardens nonprofit organization leases the remaining 33 acres from the town of Walden, which owns all 38 acres of Martha McCoy’s former estate.
When the nonprofit began leasing the property five years ago, former McCoy caretaker Neavon Hatfield was living on the remaining 5 acres under life estate, meaning he could live on the property until his death. He has since passed away.
With its shade and easy access, the plot has been ID’d as a good spot for a dog park, which the town recently received a grant to build. While some residents are in favor of Walden’s plan to put the park on a quarter-acre of the caretaker tract, the board that runs the McCoy Farm & Gardens nonprofit has other plans for the property.
A dog waste station is available for people with dogs to use at McCoy Farm & Gardens. The town of Walden is considering adding a dog park on an adjacent 5-acre tract that was also part of Martha McCoy’s estate.McCoy Farm & Gardens has seen increasing use, said board President Mickey Robbins, and its main gates are closed during the week. The caretaker’s property would provide parking for runners, dog-walkers and other citizens who use the property’s trails on weekdays.