The good news is that the Lathrop dog park is getting a new turf surface after extensive use wore out the existing grass.
The bad news is that some elected officials are worried that some pet owners have become so lackadaisical in taking care of their animals when they’re out at the park that it may drive away some residents who don’t want to deal with the messes others leave behind.
On Monday, the Lathrop City Council voted to spend $46,750 on retrofitting the turf at River Park South that has been worn down to the extensive use that the Lathrop Dog Park has received since it opened to the public – giving a facelift to what has become one of the most utilized recreational facilities in the city.
But according to Mayor Sonny Dhaliwal, there have been multiple complaints from people in the public that some owners don’t pick up after their pets the way that they’re supposed to – leaving the job to either city crews tasked with maintaining the park or other users who don’t want to risk stepping in somebody else’s mess.
And on top of being rude, it could end up being costly.
Dhaliwal said that based on Lathrop’s existing ordinances, those who don’t comply could end up being cited if they’re caught not cleaning up after their pets .
Rather than simply replacing the turf as it exists at the park, the proposed plan before the council Monday called for a decomposed granite entryway and walkway – preventing the wear-and-tear that is common at the gated entrances of most dog parks – and the installation of a decomposed granite pad near the existing benches within the park which get heavy use when the park is occupied.
In all just over 8,000 square-feet of grass will be reseeded to bolster the surface, and in order to do so the park would have to be closed off in sections while various pieces of the overhaul are completed as opposed to closing the entire park and doing everything at one time.
Prior to the City of Manteca opening its dog park inside of the Manteca Civic Center complex, many Manteca residents took their dogs to Lathrop because it was the closest location for a public park that had sections for both large and small dogs.
The funding for the work will be come from general fund reserves.

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.