Parks & Recreation: 311 or 509.755.2489
Thursday, October 6, 2022 at 4:41 p.m.
SPOKANE – City of Spokane Parks & Recreation heard from the community -- through a robust, award-winning outreach Master Plan process last year – that there is a desire by two-thirds of the community for more dog parks across all three Districts.
There is also funding from Spokane Public Schools to replace the unofficial South Hill dog park, displaced by new middle school construction, with an official dog park in District 2.
In response, Spokane Parks conducted a citywide study and additional public survey, to develop proposed guidelines to determine how sites are selected, designed, developed, and operated. View the proposed dog park guidelines, slated for Park Board vote on October 13. The document will be used as a reference in selecting and designing future dog parks, but it does not determine the specific sites where dog parks will be built.
The top potential dog park locations in each District are identified in the study, based on the criteria and community values expressed through engagement of the Master Plan and dog park survey.
The plan is to build at least one dog park in each District over the next several years. Final locations for dog parks won’t be determined until neighborhood councils are engaged and additional feedback is received.
The District 2 dog park will be built first, because it has dedicated funding from Spokane Public Schools for its full construction. Top potential locations for the official South Hill dog park include portions of Lincoln Park, Underhill Park, or Hazel’s Creek (City-owned, non-Parks land).
To gather additional community feedback, Spokane Parks is hosting open houses.
“We’ve had several great engagement opportunities with the community on dog parks, including our overarching Master Plan process, the dog park survey, and meetings with dog park users and non-users alike,” said Garrett Jones, director of Parks & Recreation for the City of Spokane. “We hope these neighborhood meetings will provide another avenue for community members to engage and share their feedback about what they want and need from their Parks.”
Dog Park Open Houses 2022
Each open house has a varied focus, but all events will share the top three site options.
Those unable to attend can send feedback to parks@spokanecity.org or Parks & Recreation, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201.
About the dog park study
The study involved a public survey, a project advisory committee, and a national review of dog park standards for other comparable Park systems.
It analyzed all City-owned property, and excluded land designated as natural/conservation land, arboreta, golf courses, and trails. The study showed that desired amenities include tree canopy, walkability, utilities/water, and parking. It was clear that existing developed uses (i.e. ballfields) should not be displaced.
Comparative to other Pacific Northwest parks systems, City of Spokane is under-served for dog parks, offering 1 dog park per 115,000 people vs. 1 per 26,600 people on average. Building at least one additional facility per district will help meet the goal of bringing additional dog park amenities to the community.
Top potential sites identified by the study in District 1 include portions of Upriver Park, North Hill Reservoir, Hill N’ Dale Park, and Harmon Park. District 3 top possible sites include the area around the Northside Landfill (unused portion), Five Mile Reservoir, or portions of Franklin or A.M. Cannon Parks. Additional neighborhood engagement and community input will be needed before sites are selected, and construction isn’t anticipated for a few years.
About City of Spokane Parks & Recreation
City of Spokane Parks and Recreation stewards nearly 120 properties across 4,000 acres of park land, including manicured parks, natural lands, aquatic centers, golf courses, sports complexes, and an arboretum. We also offer hundreds of recreation opportunities for all ages and abilities to improve the health and quality of life for our community. Enjoy all your city has to offer by visiting spokaneparks.org. Follow us @SpokaneParks on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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The City of Choice
509.625.6200
parks@spokanecity.org
808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd # 5, Spokane, WA 99201
