Josh Morrisey, City of Spokane Parks & Recreation, Marketing Assistant, 509.625.6236
Friday, February 25, 2022 at 9:17 a.m.
Plans are underway to replace an unofficial dog park (dubbed by some residents as the “South Hill Dog Park”) that has recently been displaced by the construction of a new Spokane Public Schools (SPS) middle school.
The site for the new middle school on E. 65th Ave near S. Regal St previously served as the buffer zone for the closed Southside Landfill and was owned by the City of Spokane. The property was transferred to SPS as part of the City-SPS partnership that helped to accommodate three new middle schools, a co-location of libraries at schools, and more.
Recognizing the need to both improve dog parks citywide, and to identify one specific location as an official dog park in the general vicinity of the land previously used as an unofficial dog park, Parks & Recreation will complete a citywide dog park study by October 2022. The study will include participation from SPS, stakeholders, and the wider community.
This study will identify an official South Hill dog park location, and identify other areas throughout Spokane for future dog parks, as informed by community feedback gathered for the Spokane Parks and Natural Lands Master Plan. That Master Plan is set for completion in June 2022, and will need to be wrapped up before the dog park study can begin.
SPS has agreed to fund the design, engineering, and construction of the new official South Hill dog park, while Parks & Recreation has agreed to operate and maintain it. While the school is under construction, SPS is setting up a temporary dog park nearby.
The official dog park is anticipated for completion in April 2023, prior to the opening of the new middle school.
