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PARKERSBURG – Mayor Jimmy Colombo is pitching open space next to the city skate park as a location for a dog park.
During Tuesday’s Parkersburg City Council meeting, Colombo announced he was considering the First Avenue site after multiple citizens spoke against his original proposal to put it next to the tennis courts at City Park. The mayor said the dog park could be set up at minimal cost and is not near any houses.
“I don’t have to worry about neighborhoods, don’t have to worry about infringing on other people’s parking,” he said Thursday at the site.
Colombo first proposed the City Park location after Councilman Mike Reynolds told him some constituents had expressed interest in a dedicated area where people could let their dogs run and play without being on a leash.
The First Avenue property is adjacent to land owned by the state that already has some chain link fencing. Colombo said he would like to use that and as much used fence, in good shape, the city already has to enclose the dog park area.
“If we could hook directly into it (the state’s fence), that would save us several hundred feet of fencing,” he said.
There are already connections for electricity and water in the area, as well as public restrooms. A gravel parking lot next to the skate park was set to be paved this week or next even before the mayor settled on the field for a possible dog park, Colombo said.
As for furnishing the park with items for dogs to play on and around, Colombo said the Parkersburg Utility Board may have some old fire hydrants and he’s got at least one person willing to build some features.
“This could be a low-cost venture,” Colombo said.
Some people might think the spot is a little off the beaten path, but Colombo noted it is on the same road as the Elite Sports Center, in addition to the skate park itself.
Another potential perceived drawback could be flooding, given the site’s proximity to the Little Kanawha River. But Colombo said that could be easily cleaned because the water would primarily contain silt.
“Unlike the Ohio River, you won’t find any big trees over here,” he said.
Colombo said he doesn’t expect the park to require any City Council action, but he wants to get feedback from members. He said he would look to his department’s line item first for any additional money that needed to be spent.
Councilwoman Kim Coram, in whose district the proposed site is located, said she thinks a dog park is a great idea and a quality-of-life asset.
“The cities with the most park land are the healthiest communities, the most dynamic communities,” she said.
Colombo said he would like to see work start as soon as possible, but it will depend on the availability of city crews and materials.
The skate park has been well maintained, including by people who regularly use it, Colombo said, and he believes the dog park property would be taken care of as well. Fencing would prevent any dogs from interfering with the activity of skaters.