Park news in Mercer Island.

Lifeguard coverage ends soon

Lifeguard coverage will end for the season on Saturday, Aug. 27. For more information, contact Mercer Island Parks and Recreation Supervisor Ryan Daly by email at Ryan.Daly@mercergov.org.

Due to an ongoing staffing shortage, lifeguards were not present on Aug. 21 or Aug. 22 at the Luther Burbank Beach. This is the only beach with lifeguard coverage this summer.

MIPD posts leash law reminders

The Mercer Island Police Department (MIPD) has had a few complaints recently involving off-leash dogs, according to Services Commander Leslie Burns and Support Officer Anna Ormsby. These types of calls increase this time of year, when more people are out enjoying the nice weather and using local parks.

Burns posted a leash law reminder on the Mercer Island Police and Emergency Management Facebook page.

“If you have a dog and walk it off-leash, please be sure you are doing so only in designated off-leash areas and in compliance with the requirements of these areas,” according to the post.

Dogs are not allowed:

• On any public school ground or associated school facilities

• Any playground

• Any sports court

• Any sports field when practices, games or other organized activities are in progress. This applies to the sports field itself, not the spectator areas around the sports field.

• In any public swimming area from May 1 to Sept. 30. From Oct. 1 through April 30, dogs are allowed in public swimming areas only if they are on a leash. The restrictions at public swimming areas apply only to the areas designated by sign for swimming, diving or recreational bathing, not every location on the Island where there is water access (MICC 7.04.110).

Off-leash areas (OLA’s): The city of Mercer Island Parks and Recreation Department hosts two off-leash areas (OLA’s) for dog owners and their pets to enjoy — one at Luther Burbank Park on the north end of the Island and one at the south end at Wildwood Park.

Dogs must be leashed in:

• Luther Burbank Park

• The northeast quadrant of Pioneer Park

• Deane’s Children’s Park (“Dragon Park”)

Dogs may be off-leash, but under control, inside a designated off-leash area, and there are also places in these parks where dogs are not allowed at all.

Where dogs can be leashed or under voice/signal control: For all other Mercer Island parks (except as specified above) and in designated off-leash areas, owners may choose to leash their dogs or keep them under control by using voice or signal commands defined as follows:

“Under control” means the animal is on a leash or under voice and/or signal control so as to be thereby restrained from approaching any bystander or other animal or from causing or being the cause of physical or property damage when off a leash or off the premises of the owner.

The animal is not under control if it charges, chases, jumps on, or displays aggression toward other people or animals, or behaves in a way that any reasonable person would find disturbing.

“Under voice and/or signal control” means the immediate recall of an animal to the person in control of the animal when signaled or called. To be under effective voice and/or signal control, the animal must be within the sight of the person in control (MICC 7.04.020).

For more, see www.mercergov.org/leashlaw. To report a pet incident or complaint, call 206-275-7932 or email woof@mercergov.org.