Fred, a golden retriever, will get the laundered towel scent over him after swimming within the pool in the course of the sixteenth annual Ok-9 Splash canine swim at Bever Pool in southeast Cedar Rapids in 2021. Proceeds from the occasion went towards repairs and tasks at Ok-9 Acres and Cheyenne off-leash canine parks. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
CEDAR RAPIDS — A paw-sitive improvement is underway for furry residents residing within the coronary heart of Cedar Rapids.
In the approaching months, town of Cedar Rapids will unleash its first neighborhood canine park within the Oak Hill Jackson neighborhood close to the New Bohemia District.
Located at Fourth Street and sixteenth Avenue SE, the roughly half-acre park will add an amenity for residents within the rising space that has seen greater than 100 new residential items in recent years, with extra on the way in which.
“It’s a good location for that side of town,” Parks and Recreation Director Hashim Taylor mentioned. “We’ve heard several times that we need a space for dogs in the downtown core area. With the new development down there and individuals who have dogs, that’ll be an ideal location.”
It would be the metropolis’s third canine park along with:
- Cheyenne, 1650 Cedar Bend Lane SW, Cedar Rapids
- K9Acres, 5200 Golf Course Rd., Marion (close to Gardner Golf Course)
This is a collaborative mission between town Parks and Recreation, Community Development and Public Works departments and Coralville-based developer The Watts Group.
Taylor mentioned this small-scale park will profit people in that space with residences to have an area for his or her dogs to go and play.
Watts Group’s NewBo Lofts residences — including 111 items throughout two buildings on sixteenth Avenue SE — are leasing now. LTRI LLC, the event crew led by Chad Pelley, broke floor final 12 months on a mixed-use mission from 1218 to 1310 Third St. SE that can add 34 market-rate rental items. And native developer Darryl High is trying to build greater than 80 items throughout two buildings on city-owned property at 116 sixteenth Ave. SE.
The park, budgeted to cost $225,000, will provide a grassy space surrounded by a six-foot fence, a concrete patio on the entrance with an awning, benches, and an ADA-accessible consuming basis with a jug filler.
Taylor mentioned it’s slated to open within the late spring or summer season.
Name concepts
The metropolis requested for strategies on social media and by e mail on the park’s title and acquired greater than 150 strategies.
Citizens have responded with a number of choices that play on the close by NewBo District title with strategies akin to NewBone Bark Park or New Bonehemian Park.
Ultimately, Taylor as parks director has closing discretion over the park’s title below town’s park naming coverage, however he’ll seek the advice of the City Council and town’s government crew to select.
Jones canine park progress
City officers are also planning for a canine park at Jones Park as they revamp the now-closed municipal golf course there with new facilities.
Taylor mentioned the estimated $1.25 million Jones canine park will exit for bid quickly, with an anticipated begin of late summer season or early fall. It’s anticipated to open in late spring or summer season 2025.
The majority of the cost is to create a brand new access highway to the park and assemble the car parking zone. The park will fill roughly 10 acres alongside the japanese fringe of the previous course with access from C Street SW, north of Tait Cummins Sports Complex.
Amenities for this park can be phased, with the primary section together with a brand new entry highway and parking space, in addition to lighting there. The important park space will characteristic a walking path, shade buildings and tables. A coaching space with two coaching yards will provide area for dogs that want further coaching to acclimate them to different dogs.
There can be a small canine yard with a walking path and a small rentable yard that may be sectioned off for reserved events, with tables, a shade construction and walking path. Each part can be double gated and have benches.
The park will obtain further timber and screening alongside the north property line. Like the Oak Hill Jackson park, it additionally can have a consuming fountain and jug filler. The second section will embrace fencing within the decrease pond space and set up of further path and a dock.
Dog tags
Cedar Rapids canine park customers now must register for dog tags via town to make use of the municipal services. The registration hyperlink is available on the “Off-Leash Dog Parks” tab on the Parks and Recreation web page on town’s web site, cedar-rapids.org.
So far, Taylor mentioned town has issued 387 tags, however beforehand had no option to monitor canine park utilization. Use of all 4 canine parks would require a cross.
Tag colours will change yearly and be issued with every new calendar 12 months. The new system permits workers to make sure dogs utilizing the parks meet sure requirements akin to vaccination necessities, making it safer for all to make use of.
Dog park permits are $38 every year, with an extra $2 cost for many who need it mailed. There is a $5 substitute payment for misplaced tags.
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