Speaking of dogs, the Barrington Town Council’s refusal to support the creation of a temporary dog park is surprising and deflating. The permanent dog park is being torn up while the town launches a costly project to add a single multi-purpose sports field at Haines Park.

In response, dog owners asked if the town would allocate an estimated $5,000 to erect a temporary fence in a new area, allowing them to resume normal activities. Town workers identified two separate locations that could be used temporarily, from now until the fall, by hundreds if not thousands of local dog owners.

Inexplicably, councilors said no.

Unleashed dogs are outlawed everywhere in town. They are not allowed at beaches, parks, ball fields or recreation areas. The only places they can run free are private yards (pity the pooch living on a modest 5,000-square-foot property) or the dog park.

Yet the council turned a cold shoulder to a minuscule investment that would have provided a basic service and improved quality of life for potentially thousands of taxpayers. It is a disappointing outcome for what was a very reasonable request.