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Dog Park Coming to Dayton Facility This Spring ; Property Near Humane Society

Posted on: Friday, 30 September 2005, 00:00 CDT

By Joanne Huist Smith josmith@DaytonDailyNews.com

Dayton dogs have something new to bark about.

The Humane Society of Greater Dayton is constructing a dog park on Danner Avenue, adjacent to their facility at 1661 Nicholas Road.

The pooch park is expected to open in the spring to members only.

Parents of adoptive pets from the humane society will become automatic members of the park. Others will be charged a small, annual fee (that has not been set) to use the park said, Brian Weltge, executive director of the humane society.

The boomerang-shaped park will include separate areas for small and large dogs, an obstacle course and watering stations surrounded by a 6-foot escapeproof fence.

The Ohio Contractors' Association took on the park as a community project and has started to clear the land, Weltge said.

"They take on a project every year. This has been a great effort. It's a wonderful gift to the humane society and to the community," Weltge said.

Weltge said just prepping the land for the park would have cost an estimated $110,000.

The city owns about one acre of the park property and agreed to lease it to the humane society for $10 a year with options to renew until 2055.

The city does have the option to terminate the lease and sell the property should an offer be received, according to the contract.

Though the park is on the edge of property that the city once used as a landfll, there is no indication that the park land -- wooded until construction of the park began -- has ever been used in that way, Weltge said.

Nevertheless, contractors have trucked in a 7- to 8-inch layer of prime topsoil to cover the park, gleaned from the Interstate 70/75 interchange rebuild project.

"They built up the soil so that we can grow good grass. The water will come from our building," Weltge said.

The humane society is collecting donations to purchase the fencing and hopes to fnd sponsors for individual sections of fence.

For more information, call the Humane Society of Greater Dayton at 268-7387. Contact Joanne Huist Smith at 225-2362.

Source: Dayton Daily News

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