Cracked tree leads to temporary dog park closure

By Matthew Nash • August 22, 2023 1:30 am
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ A crew with Blue Mountain Tree Service remove a cottonwood tree on Aug. 22 after it began to split and create a safety hazard in the Sequim Dog Park.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ A crew with Blue Mountain Tree Service remove a cottonwood tree on Aug. 22 after it began to split and create a safety hazard in the Sequim Dog Park.

Any doggy disaster was averted thanks to astute users of the Sequim Dog Park on Monday.

City of Sequim staff report that a dog owner told park maintenance worker Gary Butler that they heard cracking in a cottonwood tree in one of the large dog park areas around 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21.

Butler immediately closed the section inside Carrie Blake Community Park due to the potential hazard.

Hannah Merrill, Sequim’s parks and facilities manager, said Blue Mountain Tree Service came in shortly after the closure to secure the tree for the night and a crew took it down and removed it the following day.

During the closure, the two large dog park sections were closed but the small dog section remained open.

City staff estimate more than 100 dogs use the park each day.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ The small dog portion of the Sequim Dog Park remained open on Aug. 22 while a crew with Blue Mountain Tree Service removed a cottonwood tree after it began to split.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ The small dog portion of the Sequim Dog Park remained open on Aug. 22 while a crew with Blue Mountain Tree Service removed a cottonwood tree after it began to split.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ A crew with Blue Mountain Tree Service remove a cottonwood tree on Aug. 22 after it began to split and create a safety hazard in the Sequim Dog Park.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ A crew with Blue Mountain Tree Service remove a cottonwood tree on Aug. 22 after it began to split and create a safety hazard in the Sequim Dog Park.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ A crew with Blue Mountain Tree Service remove a cottonwood tree on Aug. 22 after it began to split and create a safety hazard in the Sequim Dog Park.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ A crew with Blue Mountain Tree Service remove a cottonwood tree on Aug. 22 after it began to split and create a safety hazard in the Sequim Dog Park.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ A crew with Blue Mountain Tree Service remove a cottonwood tree on Aug. 22 after it began to split and create a safety hazard in the Sequim Dog Park.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ A crew with Blue Mountain Tree Service remove a cottonwood tree on Aug. 22 after it began to split and create a safety hazard in the Sequim Dog Park.