MONROE - Alderman Jeff Newcomer announced Wednesday during Monroe Common Council proceedings that efforts to raise $50,000 for a city dog park have been successful since beginning in December.
"We're over halfway there," Newcomer said.
Council members gave final approval for the park in an 8-0 roll call vote. Alderman Reid Stangel was absent from the meeting.
The Monroe dog park, yet to be named by the council, will be a fenced area of 2.63 acres surrounding the water tower in the north industrial park. Newcomer and Monroe residents Ryan Ziltner and Katherine Frey organized an effort to create a dog park after it was identified as a goal in the Monroe Comprehensive Plan. The trio created a plan and approached city officials in the Parks and Recreation Department with the idea.
City committees agreed to the plans. Council members approved the park under the conditions that the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners establish the rules for use of the park and that user fees established by the council would be placed in the city general fund. Parks workers would perform lawn maintenance.
Alderman Michael Boyce commended the effort before voting in favor of the dog park and said it was a positive idea that a number of residents were looking forward to seeing realized.
Newcomer said the group has raised roughly $30,000. A total of 63 donations from individuals and a handful of businesses amounted to $9,000. Recently, Newcomer said the group approached Colony Brands Inc. about funding for the site. The corporation responded by providing $20,000 to the project.
An estimated $24,000 will need to be designated toward the construction of a fence surrounding the park as well as a divide between the areas designated for separate small- and large-dog spaces. An asphalt parking lot of roughly 10 stalls is an additional $10,000. Though not preferred, Newcomer said the park may be able to operate without off-street parking in initial weeks.
Ideally, Newcomer hoped to hire the company to install the fence in time to open the park in May, though he said the timeline depends on the availability of workers once a request for proposals can be extended by the city. Even if delayed, he said they hope to have the year-round dog park set up for use in summer months.
Newcomer said the progress has been a positive step.
"We're really excited," Newcomer said. "It's looking like it's actually going to happen."
He added that donations had been steady since soliciting them from residents who seemed likely to support the park. However, in recent weeks responses have stopped. Newcomer encouraged anyone who has not yet put money forward to do so if they can. He said that they will be making "another push" in requests soon. Letters will be sent out with water bills to Monroe residents asking for donations.
"We're over halfway there," Newcomer said.
Council members gave final approval for the park in an 8-0 roll call vote. Alderman Reid Stangel was absent from the meeting.
The Monroe dog park, yet to be named by the council, will be a fenced area of 2.63 acres surrounding the water tower in the north industrial park. Newcomer and Monroe residents Ryan Ziltner and Katherine Frey organized an effort to create a dog park after it was identified as a goal in the Monroe Comprehensive Plan. The trio created a plan and approached city officials in the Parks and Recreation Department with the idea.
City committees agreed to the plans. Council members approved the park under the conditions that the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners establish the rules for use of the park and that user fees established by the council would be placed in the city general fund. Parks workers would perform lawn maintenance.
Alderman Michael Boyce commended the effort before voting in favor of the dog park and said it was a positive idea that a number of residents were looking forward to seeing realized.
Newcomer said the group has raised roughly $30,000. A total of 63 donations from individuals and a handful of businesses amounted to $9,000. Recently, Newcomer said the group approached Colony Brands Inc. about funding for the site. The corporation responded by providing $20,000 to the project.
An estimated $24,000 will need to be designated toward the construction of a fence surrounding the park as well as a divide between the areas designated for separate small- and large-dog spaces. An asphalt parking lot of roughly 10 stalls is an additional $10,000. Though not preferred, Newcomer said the park may be able to operate without off-street parking in initial weeks.
Ideally, Newcomer hoped to hire the company to install the fence in time to open the park in May, though he said the timeline depends on the availability of workers once a request for proposals can be extended by the city. Even if delayed, he said they hope to have the year-round dog park set up for use in summer months.
Newcomer said the progress has been a positive step.
"We're really excited," Newcomer said. "It's looking like it's actually going to happen."
He added that donations had been steady since soliciting them from residents who seemed likely to support the park. However, in recent weeks responses have stopped. Newcomer encouraged anyone who has not yet put money forward to do so if they can. He said that they will be making "another push" in requests soon. Letters will be sent out with water bills to Monroe residents asking for donations.