For greater than a decade, Cleveland County residents have clamored for a canine park.
Fundraisers have been held, land looked for, however again and again, the challenge was stalled.
City leaders lately introduced the subject up once more and with the acquisition of land beside the newly opened Carolina Harmony Trail, the park is one step nearer to actuality.
City Manager Rick Howell mentioned it’s one thing metropolis council has talked about for years.
“Up until recently, we did not have a suitable site,” Howell mentioned throughout a recent metropolis council assembly. “As you know we closed on six acres of property that we purchased from the school system in July of this year. That six acres has been targeted for the development of a dog park.”
The land was once the old Shelby Middle School ballfield, and town bought it for $114,000.
“However, it was not purchased specifically or solely for a dog park,” Howell wrote in an e-mail to The Star. “It was purchased primarily to protect Sunset Cemetery which immediately adjoins it to the west. The dog park was a secondary consideration, and it will certainly only take up a small portion of the six acres.”
Howell cautioned that it’s not a accomplished deal but.
“Funding still has to be addressed as well as some engineering issues on that site,” he mentioned.
The metropolis did safe funds by means of an ARP grant for engineering and design to deal with a stormwater concern, Howell mentioned.
“As part of that, a conceptual layout will be developed along with cost estimates,” Howell wrote. “This may include location of fenced areas within the property and approximately what size those areas may be.”
Howell mentioned there isn’t a timetable for when the challenge will probably be accomplished, nevertheless it has been assigned to Assistant City Manager Justin Longino to supervise, and he will probably be giving updates to metropolis council as progress is made.
