With an eye toward the future, the Park Board and District staff continue to work toward the opening of a dog park next year.
In December, the Board approved hiring Upland Design to complete dog park architecture and engineering services for the dog park, to be located at 0S761 Old York Road. Later that month, Park District staff demolished a dilapidated two-car garage at the site, eliminating the need to monitor the structure.
Most recently, at the May 22 Board meeting, the Board approved the purchase of a restroom building with storage for the dog park. Due to ongoing fluctuations in the economy and material pricing, as well as predicted lead time, staff recommended placing the order for the equipment now in order to ensure the building is ready to go on opening day.
The District will take advantage of the cooperative purchase supplier Sourcewell, which prepares bids, conducts a competitive sealed bidding process, and awards contracts for goods and services on behalf of public agencies. Purchasing cooperatives such as Sourcewell allow public agencies to pool their purchasing through nationally solicited contracts and help save time and money. The District has used Sourcewell in the past for Salt Creek and Butterfield Park’s playground equipment.
The dog park is a large-scale project based on community feedback. A master plan was approved by the Board in 2018, but planning was put on hold due to the pandemic’s financial impact.
