PORTLAND, Maine — Unleashed dogs at Mayor Baxter Woods, on Stevens Avenue in Portland, may soon have to find a new place to run.
Portland's Department of Parks, Recreation and Facilities has proposed requiring dogs be leashed on a 25 foot lead at all times.
Lee Edwards walks her dog Avie at least five days a week at Baxter Woods. She wants the park to stay unleashed.
"This is a safe place to walk" Edwards says.
Edwards grew up in Portland. She says years ago she would not walk here.
"There were homeless people and kids partying. There was trash." She says the park is now better place and people come to walk their dogs here all the time."
Nicole Jacobsen and her daughter Lila were walking their dog Maple at Baxter Woods. They love it there.
"My kids are able to run at the same time and it's good socialization, good for them, good for Maple and frankly, good for me."
Ethan Hipple is the Deputy Director of the parks department.
"This park is a gem. 30 acres right in the middle of a dense, urban neighborhood. There is all kind of wildlife, a great trail network, about a mile of trials and a pond. It's a great place to come and enjoy the outdoors."
Hipple says Baxter Woods was given to the city by Governor Percival Baxter in honor of his father Mayor James Phinney Baxter. That park was deeded to the city with conditions that it be an open space sanctuary for wild birds.
"It's very restrictive for what we can do here. It's meant to be here in perpetuity as open space and a forest for people to enjoy."
Hipple says in 2018 a study was done by a forest ecologist to look at the whole forest. That report, in part, found that off leash dogs were having a negative impact on ground nesting and ground feeding birds...to the point that they were almost non-existent in Baxter Woods.
"We didn't feel like we were being good stewards of the property, of honoring the intent of why it was given to the city" Hipple says.
Nicole Jacobsen understands the argument but wishes there was some kind of compromise or middle ground that can be reached.
Hipple says there are 500 acres in Portland where off leash dogs are permitted, including the woods behind Evergreen Cemetery, which is located across the street from Baxter Woods.
But not everyone likes that idea. Including Lee Edwards.
"Evergreen is just off the street but a lot of people don't feel safe in the Evergreen woods because you're really out there alone."
The parks commission will hold a public hearing at 5pm Thursday at Portland City Hall.
The commission is expected to decide whether to send the leash proposal to the city council for a vote.