City Is Warming To Off-leash "Pop-Up" Dog Parks

Kirkland's off-leash dog area
photo credit/ Bob Yoder

Dog Parks In Redmond, /First post.

The City is serious about off-leash dog parks, especially in the downtown area harboring smaller apartment dogs. Staff  is estimating about $50,000 to build a "pop up" off-leash demonstration park. 

"The  project is currently unfunded but there's a desire by the Parks and Trails Commission to see it expedited.  I've said this before to my Parks & Rec. Commission friends, there's equipment that will save thousands of dollars in labor during installation and removal. 

When I discovered the pop-up parks in Kirkland, a parks manager recommended a $4,500 mechanical tool that cuts labor costs (est. 438 staff hours) dramatically during installation and removal. 

I'll shoot this note to City Parks Operations Manager David Tuchek. I hope he'll give it a try.  The City of Kirkland is cooperative could be a good resource. 

-- Bob Yoder, 3/6/2022 Source: Council Parks Committee of the Whole. 3/2/2022

Off-Leash Demonstration Dog Parks: The earliest that a demonstration dog-park could be accomplished would be in mid-late summer 2022 (Q3). 

 The expense, depending on location, is approximately $50,000, which includes 438 staff hours for construction and maintenance. Given this project is not included in the 2021-22 budget or workplan, it would result in impacts to park planning and park operations. Park Operations and Maintenance would need to defer 400+ staff hours from core and preventive maintenance of the park and trail system as construction projects are not part of the summertime program due to workload.  

This core work includes addressing safety issues, athletic field maintenance, urban forestry, trail maintenance, irrigation, and preventative maintenance/asset management. In addition, the materials and supplies budget would be impacted with purchase of approximately $20,000 of materials (depending on final site) that includes fencing, gates, trash receptacles, surfacing, dog waste receptacles and similar items.   

This would impact supplies used in the core routine maintenance above and includes things like lumber, concrete, irrigation parts, splash pad supplies, soil, mulch, trees, trail surfacing and similar materials. Also, Park planning would need to conduct site specific outreach around candidate sights in parallel with the development of the PARCC plan and its associated outreach. This has the potential to duplicate outreach efforts." 

Council Committee of the Whole, Parks. 3/2/2022