By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
After years of dogged persistence, the citizens group pushing for a city dog park has entered a lease for a patch of land where their dogs can run unleashed.
Last week, Wendy Manning, head of the Friends of BG Dog Parks, signed the contract approved by City Council in May.
The citizens group started in 2019 to work on a dog park in a walkable location for residents of Bowling Green, said City Council member Jeff Dennis after Monday evening’s meeting.
The 1.39-acre dog park will be located in the north portion of Ridge Park on the east side of the city. Though no single location would be walkable for all residents, Dennis said this site will work well for many in the densely populated neighborhood around it.
“The location is really great,” Dennis said, citing the trend of many people living in the surrounding apartments having emotional support animals. “It will be a good fit for the neighborhood.”
Council member Bill Herald worked with Dennis to help the citizens group reach their goal of creating a dog park.
“A whole lot of people have worked on a whole lot of this for a long time,” Herald said after the council meeting.
The plan calls for the dog park to be divided into two areas – one for small and one for large dogs.
“That’s the best practice,” said Dennis, who noted that he has a 140-pound Great Dane at home.
The next step for the Friends of BG Dog Parks is to find a professional to work with the citizen organization on a design for the dog park, said Rose Drain, a member of the citizens group.
Drain is thrilled that the project is moving forward.
“When I was there the other day, I was envisioning my dogs running free,” said Drain, whose dogs are noticeably smaller than Great Danes. “We’re excited we got to this point.”
The citizen group has no deadlines to meet, but the sooner the better, Drain said.
“I’d like to see it happen next year, maybe in the spring,” she said.
Some citizens have expressed concerns about the maintenance of the site. The agreement allows the city to terminate the lease if requirements are not met, Dennis said.
Under the plan, the city will lease the land for $1 a year to the Friends of BG Dog Parks group, which will be responsible for maintaining the site.
While the city agreed to lease the land, officials wanted the dog park group to be responsible for maintenance of the site. The three-year lease requires the group to adequately fence the site, pay for installation of utilities, mow the grass and clean up dog poop that owners have not picked up.
The lease also calls for a landscape buffer to be planted and maintained between the dog park portion and the playground portion of Ridge Park.
In 2022, City Council voted to allocate $150,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to the non-profit BG Citizens for Dog Parks.
The lease agreement includes the following provisions for the Ridge Park site:
- The Citizens for BG Dog Parks will be responsible for infrastructure improvements to the premises, including installation of utilities, fences, water fountains, walkways and trash receptacles.
- The rental cost of the parkland will be $3 for the initial three-year term.
- The dog park group must provide the city an escrow deposit of $3,000 to ensure that the facilities and grounds are installed and adequately maintained.
- The group will be responsible for continued maintenance and repairs, including litter cleanup, lawn mowing, snow and ice removal, line-trimming and the removal of fecal matter left by dogs.
- The city will pay all utility bills generated by use of the premises.
- The dog park may not charge for access to the premises, restrict the general public from access, or establish any fee for membership or access.
- The dog park group shall furnish the city with an annual report.
- The dog park group must maintain comprehensive general liability insurance in an amount of at least $1 million.
The city will continue to maintain the rest of Ridge Park, including the playground area to the south, the parking along the west side, and the grass around the fenced dog park.
The park will have a card access gate – but no fee or pass will be required to get into the park. Those entering must scan a QR code available at the site, sign a waiver acknowledging the rules, vaccination status of their dog, and willingness to pick up poop.
Plans for the fenced in areas include a double gate system, to prevent escapes.
The hours of the park will be the same as other city parks, from sunup to sundown.
