Letter: Let people (safely) use the dog park

The Town of Hilton Head Island staff has faced many no-win decisions after Hurricane Matthew. Consequently, my reticence to criticize the bureaucratic tyranny regarding the dog park at Chaplin Community Park.

Unfortunately, as demonstrated in your recent story, their nanny-state attitude is now insulting the intelligence of the taxpayers. Safe pathways need not be created — they are already there and nowhere near the truck access to the park.

So to the town facilities staff: I know how to park my car safely outside the park. I know how to walk safely, use the pathways safely and avoid the roadways where the trucks are, safely.

Immediately allow taxpayers to use our feet and our own good judgment to get into the dog park.

The intransigence at opening the dog park under the guise of safety is nothing more than an arrogant, defensive response to justly deserved public criticism. The Town Council’s failure to quietly resolve this error in judgment is no less obvious or disappointing.

This story was originally published January 9, 2017 at 5:28 PM with the headline "Letter: Let people (safely) use the dog park."