NEW GLARUS - A topic of discussion years in the making will once again be addressed during a New Glarus Parks and Recreation Committee meeting today: whether the village can create a dog park with limited space.
Interest and subsequent planning for a park began in the summer of 2015, Village Administrator Bryan Gadow said.
"We had heard from village and township residents that there was an interest in pursuing that," Gadow said. "We'll continue to consider our options and see where the village and township want to go with it in the future."
It began with campaigns by citizens, who organized more than one Facebook page, none of which can currently be found through a cursory search of the social media website. Residents created a petition, which had been circulated around the area and on a website called Change.org.
Chad Fahey, who co-owns Charlie's Bark Park in Monroe and Belleville with his wife Heidi, lives in New Glarus with his family. He currently has two dogs, a German shepherd named Duke and a dachshund named PJ.
Because of his work with animals, Fahey was recruited to join in the effort for a park. He sees socialization between dogs and their owners as a positive opportunity for the area.
"It gives them a place to exercise, a place to stretch their legs," Fahey said. "The social impact is important for dogs. If dogs were more social and people are more educated, it makes the community safer."
Fahey credited recent fundraising to build the Monroe Dog Park as an example to emulate, particularly because of its configuration, such as the separation of spaces for large and small dogs.
"Monroe did a great job," Fahey said. "They knocked it out of the park."
Committee Chair Greg Thoemke suggested that the issue once more be brought to discussion. He noted that residents Shaun Dow and Nathaniel Basting had been part of the driving force behind securing a dog-friendly park space within town and village limits. Dow said he and Basting "passed the torch" to residents Corbin and Jacqueline Judd-Scheurer because it was clear with the lack of land to develop, it was "not a priority for the village board."
Thoemke said part of the reason for the lengthy process has been a lack of available space, which Gadow also noted was a major issue.
In joint village and township meeting minutes, the topic has been a point of continued discussion.
Thoemke added the issue to today's agenda to make sure the group discussed funding before the expiration of a $1,000 grant given to the village in November 2016 from the New Glarus Community Foundation, a subsidiary of the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin Inc.
Gadow said for one acre of land to be fenced, the area would require 1,000 feet of fencing. The cost would be roughly $5,000 to $6,000. The struggle to fund the space has tripped up village officials, but Fahey has confidence that if the village were to approach business owners within the area, the cost of operation and possibly some funding for its creation could be secured.
"I would think we could work on that," Fahey said. "We have a lot of businesses in New Glarus. If we have the right people in charge, it will be a success."
Interest and subsequent planning for a park began in the summer of 2015, Village Administrator Bryan Gadow said.
"We had heard from village and township residents that there was an interest in pursuing that," Gadow said. "We'll continue to consider our options and see where the village and township want to go with it in the future."
It began with campaigns by citizens, who organized more than one Facebook page, none of which can currently be found through a cursory search of the social media website. Residents created a petition, which had been circulated around the area and on a website called Change.org.
Chad Fahey, who co-owns Charlie's Bark Park in Monroe and Belleville with his wife Heidi, lives in New Glarus with his family. He currently has two dogs, a German shepherd named Duke and a dachshund named PJ.
Because of his work with animals, Fahey was recruited to join in the effort for a park. He sees socialization between dogs and their owners as a positive opportunity for the area.
"It gives them a place to exercise, a place to stretch their legs," Fahey said. "The social impact is important for dogs. If dogs were more social and people are more educated, it makes the community safer."
Fahey credited recent fundraising to build the Monroe Dog Park as an example to emulate, particularly because of its configuration, such as the separation of spaces for large and small dogs.
"Monroe did a great job," Fahey said. "They knocked it out of the park."
Committee Chair Greg Thoemke suggested that the issue once more be brought to discussion. He noted that residents Shaun Dow and Nathaniel Basting had been part of the driving force behind securing a dog-friendly park space within town and village limits. Dow said he and Basting "passed the torch" to residents Corbin and Jacqueline Judd-Scheurer because it was clear with the lack of land to develop, it was "not a priority for the village board."
Thoemke said part of the reason for the lengthy process has been a lack of available space, which Gadow also noted was a major issue.
In joint village and township meeting minutes, the topic has been a point of continued discussion.
Thoemke added the issue to today's agenda to make sure the group discussed funding before the expiration of a $1,000 grant given to the village in November 2016 from the New Glarus Community Foundation, a subsidiary of the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin Inc.
Gadow said for one acre of land to be fenced, the area would require 1,000 feet of fencing. The cost would be roughly $5,000 to $6,000. The struggle to fund the space has tripped up village officials, but Fahey has confidence that if the village were to approach business owners within the area, the cost of operation and possibly some funding for its creation could be secured.
"I would think we could work on that," Fahey said. "We have a lot of businesses in New Glarus. If we have the right people in charge, it will be a success."