Proposed dog park in Spring Garden pits neighbor against neighbor

As Ann Northrup stood in the middle of an empty, blighted, pothole-filled lot in Spring Garden nestled between a church and school, Ann Corcoran, who lives nearby, shouted at her from a sidewalk.

"Stop spreading lies, Ann!" said Corcoran, her miniature schnauzer, Clooney, in tow.

For the next few minutes, the two went at each other over the future of the decades-vacant lot on the 1800 block of Green Street. The clash was another skirmish in a long-simmering squabble that has pitted residents against each other over the future of the property.

On one side is the Spring Garden Community Development Corp., which wants to buy the quarter-acre parcel from the Philadelphia School District and turn it into an off-leash dog park. The CDC has a long list of allies in its corner, including City Council President Darrell L. Clarke and several hundred area residents.

On the other side is a group led by Northrup that opposes the park.

They and members of the Enon Baptist Church and parents with children at Laura Wheeler Waring School say a dog park between a church and a school poses serious safety and hygiene concerns.

"It's not only a bad idea, it's disrespectful to the school and church," said Northrup, 65, a 30-year Spring Garden resident.

The fight has been going on for months, and there is no clear end in sight.

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Proposed dog park in Spring Garden pits neighbor against neighbor