Editorial:

This one goes out to Mr. Nibbles and his quest for a dedicated dog park. It’s about time someone, or some dog, took up the cause.

If Burbank can spend thousands of dollars on a superfluous statue at a park spot that’s anything but leisurely or usable, it can surely afford to set up a simple parcel of land for dogs to commingle and run free. No need for a state-of-the-art play set, expensive safety measures or arduous design review. Just a plot of fenced-in grass, some pooper-scoopers and plastic baggies, drinking fountains and some shaded seating areas.

This city has shown time and again that it can step over the political quicksand and get things done that address obvious needs, no matter the gripes and complaints of the few, which usually come around in the end anyway.

Whether it’s subsidizing child-care services or forging ahead with a smoking ban, Burbank’s history of growing up has been fraught with naysayers, but most of the time, the right decision wins out.

So as city officials work to bring the subject up at the commission level in the coming weeks, let us hope that Burbank again rises to the occasion. That residents are forced to drive to other cities in search of secure play areas for their dogs is a pretty damning reminder that, for all the strides made to accommodate bicyclists and nonsmokers and electric car drivers, there are some areas where Burbank is severely lacking.

Dog parks do more than just provide a social gathering place for Chihuahua-terrier mixes like Mr. Nibbles: They become community focal points for residents, encourage walking and promote a strong sense of neighborhood. If that’s not reason enough, then perhaps we should take another look at the Five Points Art & Landscape Installation and reevaluate the city’s definition of a park.