Laramie Parks and Recreation has issued winter notices for the Optimist Dog park and the baseball and softball athletic fields.

Temporary barriers have been installed at the Optimist Park to divert foot traffic from high use areas, in order to reduce the wear on fragile turf during the winter. Parks and Rec also warns there may be times when the dog park will be closed due to weather and muddy turf conditions.

Scott Hunter, parks crew supervisor, said the main concern is to prevent muddy turf conditions when the snow melts in the spring.

“We’re trying to keep high traffic areas of the park from turning in to a big mud bowl come spring,” Hunter said.

Hunter says reports of people moving the barriers prompted parks and rec to spike the barriers into the ground to make them harder to move.   He said signs will be posted when the dog park is closed.

“We will have signs posted in the parking lot to the park as well as one along the East side facing the road,” Hunter said.  “Residents can also check on closures at the City of Laramie website in the Parks and Rec section.”

The baseball and softball athletic fields have been prepared for winter dormancy and are closed for the season. Parks and rec asks that residents respect the locked field entrances and closed signs and to not substitute an athletic field for a dog park.

Hunter said that in previous years, management has found dog feces in the baseball and softball fields when preparing them for children’s sports.

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