Ferrysburg unleashes plans for dog park

Tue, May 13, 2008

FERRYSBURG — City Council members seemed to bite on the idea of an unleashed dog park during their Monday night meeting.

Click to enlarge
"I bet we probably have more parks per capita than most cities, yet we have no park for an unleashed dog area," Councilwoman Regina Sjoberg said. "I think it's important in these times when we are so isolated to create a dog park."

Council decided to toss plans for the dog park to the city's Recreation Committee. A consensus vote showed City Council's support of the idea, but council members said plans for the park were best decided by the Recreation Committee.

"We have so many people who have dogs and (residents) don't really have the places to allow them to run," Mayor Jeff Stille said. "I think it's a good idea to have a designated area."

In a work session Monday, City Council chewed on the potential locations for the park. Sjoberg suggested using an undeveloped area on the western portion of Coast Guard Park, located off North Shore Road, previously a shooting area with a bunker.

"Right now, it's really unattractive," Sjoberg said, adding that the area abuts trails where people already take their dogs.

Most city parks were mentioned as possible locations by council members, but no decision was made on a location.

"I think that's something for the recreation commission to discuss," Sjoberg said.

Sjoberg said the city should take time to research and develop a plan, and wait until the city's 2009-10 fiscal year to budget the project.

According to Sjoberg, the unleashed dog park would offer many benefits — including encouraging exercise, community building and reduced crime.

If Ferrysburg adds an unleashed dog park, it would be one of two in the Tri-Cities area. In July 2002, Grand Haven City Council designated a 6-acre section of the city's Mulligan's Hollow Recreational Area as an off-leash dog park. That park runs along the south side of Mulligan's Hollow along Lake Avenue, up the park's east side to a flat area at the service road, and to the water tanks directly east of the Imagination Station.

Sjoberg said the Ferrysburg Recreation Committee will have to decided the size of the park and type of amenities. She said the city could spend as little as $1,000 to create the park or as much as $85,000. The committee will also have to decide if — and how — residents would be charged.

Sjoberg, a self-proclaimed animal lover, volunteered to assist the Recreation Committee to plan the park.

The committee's plans will be brought back to City Council for final approval.