By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
A center floor – figuratively and actually – is being searched for a brand new canine park in Bowling Green.
On one aspect of the difficulty are canine homeowners who would really like a canine park inside walking distance from their houses, in contrast to the county’s canine park east of Interstate 75.
On the opposite aspect is the town’s park division, which doesn’t have park land it want to repurpose for a canine park, nor does it need already stretched workers to get saddled with the upkeep of a canine park.
The canine park advocates, Citizens for BG Dog Parks Committee, have agreed to some stipulations by the town. At the urging of metropolis officers, the group had a feasibility examine achieved on canine parks, has held a number of fundraisers, has agreed to create a non-profit organization to lease land for a canine park, and has agreed to take care of the location.
Proponents of a brand new canine park really feel they’ve been leaping by hoops with little progress to point out for it.
City officers have acknowledged that progress has been sluggish, however say they wish to get this proper.
Of the three metropolis websites examined within the feasibility examine, it seems that a portion of Ridge Park is the most certainly location.
Like a canine with a bone
A “walkable” canine park in Bowling Green shouldn’t be a brand new matter. City Council member Bill Herald introduced the concept to the BG Parks and Recreation Board throughout a gathering in August 2019.
Herald instructed the board that he had heard from quite a lot of residents focused on a metropolis canine park. He requested that the difficulty be placed on the park board’s agenda at its strategic planning and that the chance for a canine park be studied concurrently the park grasp plan update.
A residents group was fashioned and has been doggedly pursuing the canine park idea. Citizens have repeatedly taken their case to City Council and the Parks and Recreation Board. They have held a number of fundraisers to assist their trigger, and picked up extra citizen help alongside the way in which.
While the parks board didn’t embody a canine park in its grasp plan update, City Council took the weird motion of including it for the board. In addition, council voted to earmark $150,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds for a canine park.
Founding members of the residents’ group, Raul and Jo Ascunce expressed frustration this week about little progress being made within the final 18 months. They really feel the town retains including extra obstacles to the proposal – and the organization is sort of a canine chasing its tail.
“We’re frustrated that our efforts have not met the criterion for the city to move forward more quickly,” Jo Ascunce mentioned.
The feasibility examine, carried out by a graduate class at Bowling Green State University, was accomplished final December however has not been mentioned throughout conferences of City Council or the Parks and Recreation Board.
The examine, in response to BG Parks and Recreation Director Kristin Otley, didn’t actually present any new info for the town.
“We don’t really see any place in city parks that isn’t being used.” And the workers is already at capability, she added.
During discussions with metropolis administration, the doable places have been narrowed right down to Ridge Park. The newer park, positioned the place Ridge Elementary used to sit down, has a playground on the south finish and an enormous open space on the northern portion.
“Of all the city properties, that would be the most likely,” Otley mentioned.
In order to not put additional burden on present parks and recreation workers, discussions have additionally been held on leasing the land to the residents group and tasking them with upkeep obligations.
“That’s one of the things we’re in conversations about,” Otley mentioned.
Rose Drain, of the residents organization, mentioned the group has agreed to lease park area from the town and handle the canine park.
“Progress was stalled. We’re hoping to start talking about some details soon,” Drain mentioned. “It’s a work in progress.”
Wheels transfer slowly
Otley inspired continued persistence within the course of.
“Sometimes in municipal government things don’t move as fast as in private,” she mentioned. “Nothing is simple, there’s lots to consider. It’s more than having a fence and letting dogs off leash.”
Herald mentioned Otley has achieved a superb job of wading by the canine park situation that has sturdy emotions on each side.
“I’m impressed with Kristin. She’s in a tough spot,” attempting to be conscious of canine park advocates and to metropolis authorities.
City Council member Jeff Dennis is a member of the Citizens for BG Dog Parks Committee.
“I can see both sides of it,” he mentioned. “I’m frustrated with the speed that government moves generally.”
In this case, the town has to contemplate the legal responsibility and upkeep of a canine park, he mentioned. Discussions are taking place with the town administration and legislation director.
“They are making sure everybody is aware of their responsibilities,” Dennis mentioned. “I think things are moving, they’re just moving slowly.”
Mayor Mike Aspacher mentioned he has met a number of instances with members of the canine park organization, and mentioned the subject is a part of an “ongoing discussion.”
“I’ve had concerns about the park department’s ability to take on more responsibility,” he mentioned, noting the parks are primarily funded by a levy. “A dog park will require a good deal of maintenance and operations oversight.”
Aspacher defined a lease of park land for a canine park would work just like the prevailing leases for Carter Park baseball and for Country Club golf.
Dennis identified that earlier than a canine park is constructed, the town should meet with neighbors to make them conscious of the plans, get their enter, and present renderings of the plan if doable.
Feasibility examine
The objective of the examine carried out final yr was to find out the feasibility of building one other canine park in Bowling Green that can be nearer and extra accessible for folks and their dogs to make use of.
This examine examined practices of different canine parks in cities of relative dimension, administration buildings, a budgetary evaluation of the prices to build and keep the canine park, in addition to an evaluation of doable canine park places.
When making a canine park, a number of the vital concerns embody noise, facilities for dogs and people, waste disposal techniques, minimal area necessities and upkeep of the services.
Research was achieved on present canine parks in cities just like Bowling Green, to see what components could make a canine park profitable. The examine additionally checked out a number of methods to take care of the canine park, utilizing metropolis workers, volunteers or interns.
Additionally, this feasibility examine additionally lined completely different potential places the place the canine park could possibly be constructed, together with the professionals and cons for every location.
The examine additionally examined the minimal price ticket for a canine park. Including completely different facilities and tools, the minimal cost for a one-acre canine park was estimated at $69,000.
This venture was accomplished underneath the supervision of Dr. Shannon Orr at BGSU as a part of a category venture within the Master of Public Administration program. Following are a number of the findings.
Noise
The noise inside canine parks can attain ranges which can be barely louder than visitors. It is beneficial that the canine park be placed at a minimal of fifty ft from residential areas, and ideally a minimum of 150 to 200 ft away from houses.
Amenities
Physical facilities akin to shade buildings, benches and canine play buildings are choices.
Waste disposal
Waste disposal is a big a part of the upkeep of a canine park. Typical parks have a minimum of two pet waste stations, which may normally cost round $200 every. Having signage reminding neighborhood members to make use of these stations, and having disposable bag dispensers could possibly be useful. A reported 40% of tourists won’t clear up waste, in response to a 2018 examine achieved by the National Recreation and Park Association.
Upkeep and upkeep
The examine checked out choices akin to putting the parks and recreation division fully accountable for the maintenance of the park, having volunteers help, or enlisting the assistance of a campus volunteer organization.
Locations
Dog parks typically require a minimum of a half-acre of land. Most canine parks are in a comparatively central location, making them accessible to walkers. The examine used a rubric to rank potential places within the metropolis, ranking every website for dimension, parking availability, land suitability, shade, water supply and accessibility.
The examine checked out three potential places for a canine park, together with the Arboretum west of the Pearl Street Fire station, Ridge Park, and Conneaut Haskins Park.
Arboretum
- Strengths: The massive area spans roughly 4 acres; close by residencies are exterior finest apply beneficial tips; it’s walkable (underneath one mile) distance for six,900 Bowling Green residents; it’s near businesses.
- Weaknesses: Limited shade; no parking.
Conneaut Haskins Park
- Strengths: Already has an present buffer; has present parking; a big portion is underutilized; already maintained by metropolis.
- Weaknesses: Within 110 ft of close by residences; could be a smaller choice.
Ridge Park
- Strengths: Existing fence; present parking; already maintained by metropolis; walkable (inside one mile) for 14,000 Bowling Green residents.
- Weakness: Within 110 ft of close by residences.
Common insurance policies
Policies can assist canine parks run easily. The examine checked out a mix of the insurance policies taken from the working canine parks in different Ohio communities:
• Dogs should be registered and updated on all vaccinations
• Dogs should be underneath affordable management by the proprietor always
• When exterior the perimeter of the park, dogs should be leashed
• Dog homeowners should clear up after their dogs (penalties could incentivize this rule)
• Only registered homeowners and handlers allowed throughout the park
• No meals allowed throughout the park
• No dogs in warmth
• No aggressive dogs
• Dogs underneath the age of 4 months aren’t permitted to enter
• No glass containers
• The canine park is for dogs and people solely
• Smoking is prohibited whereas contained in the fence of the canine park
• Usage of the canine park comes at your individual threat
• Owners are legally accountable for their dogs always
• Dog handlers should be 18 or older
• Children underneath the age of 16 should be accompanied by an grownup always
Cost Analysis
The evaluation assumes the dimensions of the canine park to be one acre, as that’s the beneficial dimension.
Surface
Preliminary analysis confirmed that pure grass, dimension allowing, often is the most inexpensive choice for the bottom cowl of the canine park. Using turf would imply that the canine park floor stays inexperienced all yr spherical, however it’s extra pricey and must be frequently cleaned and changed after a sure variety of years.
If the canine park floor is pure grass, the prices related to that embody mowing, fertilization and weed management.
Fencing
The beneficial fence top for a canine park is 4 to six ft. For a one-acre canine park, 834.34 ft of fencing is required. The complete fencing cost for the park can be round $25,000, based mostly on estimates from building provide shops.
Agility Equipment
Included on this budgetary evaluation are a couple of choices for agility tools, with prices estimated between $8,000 and $10,000.
Costs
- Grass (mowing and maintenance) – 1 acre, round $6,000 a yr
- Fencing – $25,000
- Agility tools – $8,000
- Water fountains – two for $10,000
- Benches – six for $3,000
- Waste disposal stations – 4 for $2,000
- Signage – $1,000
- Shade Shelter – two for $20,000
- Total (not together with grass prices) – $69,000
Operations
The examine appeared on the strengths and weaknesses of various types of operations.
City owned and operated
- Strengths: Well funded attributable to COVID aid funds; effectively maintained and operated if run by the parks and recreation division; metropolis may probably use the canine parks as a small income supply.
- Weaknesses: The Parks and Rec division would seemingly need to carry on further or seasonal assist to successfully keep and function the canine park.
Non-Profit Partnership
- Strengths: A partnership would enable for the town and potential accomplice to share a number of the working and upkeep prices; parks and rec would have a restricted position (if any) within the each day operation of the canine park.
- Weakness: Dog parks are sometimes left unsupervised when being operated by a non-profit attributable to an absence of funding, workers or volunteers
For the feasibility examine, the scholars analyzed greater than 23 completely different canine parks in Ohio and a number of canine park feasibility research. The canine parks studied have been principally within the northeastern portion of Ohio. They have been Brunswick, Lakewood, Memorial, Akron, Bow Wow Beach, Avon Lake, Sunny Lake, Orville, Canal Fulton, Schellin, Furnas, Mentor, Schneider Community, Fairport Harbor Lakefront, Mosquito, Gambier, Wolf Run, Carrolyn Ludwig, Taps and Tails, Hilltop, Tri-City, Canning Family, and Downtown Dog Park.
