Algae temporarily closes Lake Metroparks' Canine Meadow Dog Park
Oct. 12—Lake Metroparks has temporarily closed the pond at Canine Meadow Dog Park in Kirtland due to the presence of blue-green algae, though other areas of the park remain open.
The Oct. 10 announcement came after the pond's monthly testing detected the algae, explained Park Services Director Tom Adair. The pond underwent a chemical treatment that day, and another test will be conducted to determine if it is safe to reopen.
Adair said that this process generally takes "a couple of days." The park district had not provided any further updates as of the early afternoon on Oct. 12.
The park's large and small dog areas are still open, as noted on an Oct. 10 Lake Metroparks Facebook post.
Adair said that the pond usually closes a few times a year, though most closures are due to high levels of fecal coliform bacteria. He noted that those closures happen most often in July, August and September and come after periods of warm temperatures and high humidity. These levels often return below the safety threshold in a few days as the weather changes, without the need for outside intervention.
"The tests that we use are the same tests that entities, such as the testing entity we use, use for human recreational activities," he explained, adding, "They tend to be...more conservative estimates and higher thresholds than what a pet would even require, but we choose to test at those higher levels to make sure we're being exceedingly safe with how we approach it."
The presence of blue-green algae is less common in the pond, Adair noted, adding that this is only the second such closure he can recall. This type of algae is more likely to occur "later in the year."
He added of the pond's monthly testing, "our goal is essentially to just make sure that...any levels of bacteria are safe and healthy for the dogs and folks who are there."
Canine companions can still enjoy the dog swim area at the east end of the Lake Erie Bluffs beach, 2901 Clark Road in Perry Township. A trail map is available on the park's web page at lakemetroparks.com.
Canine Meadow Dog Park is located at 9010 Euclid Chardon Road in Kirtland, just east of the Lake Metroparks Farmpark.
