Williamstown Approves 18-Acre Off-Leash Dog Park at Spruces Park
Table of Contents
Why Create an Off-Leash Area Now?
After two years of surveys and contentious hearings, the Williamstown Select Board voted 4-1 on April 29 2025 to carve out an off-leash meadow inside Spruces Park. Dog ownership in town jumped 27% during the pandemic, crowding existing trails and sparking a leash-law debate. The new zone aims to give pups room to sprint while keeping cyclists, birders, and picnickers happy on adjacent paths.
Where Will It Be Located?
The off-leash footprint covers 18 acres of former mobile-home pads in Spruces Park’s northwest quadrant. Natural boundaries—Main Street to the north, the Hoosic River oxbow to the west, and a tree line to the south—form a convenient bowl that already attracts weekend fetch sessions. Survey stakes painted blue will stand until shrubs mature. Visitors will still park at the Main Street lot and walk five minutes along a mowed path to reach the meadow.
How Will It Be Delineated?
- Tall-grass buffer: Park crews mow 10-ft-wide walking loops, leaving 4-ft-high grass walls as natural rails.
- Native shrub rows: Dogwood, elderberry, and serviceberry plantings create year-round habitat and a visual cue.
- Blue stakes every 50 ft: Easy for first-timers to spot the perimeter at a glance.
Chain-link would violate FEMA rules that bar permanent structures in the floodplain. Living borders satisfy those covenants and cost one-tenth as much as fencing.
Rules & Regulations
- Leash your dog until inside the zone, and clip back on before exiting.
- Maximum two dogs per adult handler; children under 12 may not supervise.
- Your dog must respond to voice recall and stay within sight.
- Pick up waste immediately—bags and bins provided.
- No food, glass containers, or smoking inside the meadow.
- Hours: dawn–dusk year-round, except during spring flood closures.
Violations bring a $50 fine; chronic offenders risk suspension of off-leash privileges.
Timeline for Opening
- May 6–24: stake placement & test-mow patterns
- May 25–Jun 15: plant shrubs, grade ADA paths
- Jun 16–Jul 31: vegetation grow-in & wildlife monitoring
- Target soft-open: (Select Board approval pending)
- Community ribbon-cutting: Sept 6 during Williamstown Community Day
Community Reactions
Dog owners cheered the vote. “My border collie needs miles, not feet,” said resident Trish Gorman. Bird-watcher Allan Walker was cautiously optimistic: “Tall-grass buffers will help, but signage about nesting season is a must.” An online poll by Greylock News showed 71% in favor, 19% opposed, 10% undecided.
Environmental & FEMA Constraints
Spruces Park was purchased with FEMA Hazard-Mitigation funds after Tropical Storm Irene, so permanent fencing is banned. The living-border approach meets grant terms and costs roughly $25K versus $250K for chain-link. Conservation Commission staff will track ground-nesting birds; off-leash hours could shorten each April if data shows conflicts.
How to Visit & Get Involved
Follow progress at williamstownma.gov/dog-park. Volunteers are needed for shrub-planting weekends—sign-up link on that page. Tax-deductible donations of native plants or waste-bag stations go through Friends of Williamstown Parks 501(c)(3). Until opening day, remember: all of Spruces Park is leash-only.
