Due to seasonal closures of the dog park at Fort Borst Park, the City of Centralia is considering the construction of a new dog park at Rotary Riverside Park using grant funds it has applied for from the state.
The new off-leash area would cost the city an estimated $270,972.46 and would include about .70 acres of open space for the city’s four-legged friends to run and play in.
The idea for the new dog park came when issues of the Fort Borst Park dog park’s seasonal accessibility drew scrutiny from area residents late last year.
Emil Pierson, Centralia’s community development director, said at the Feb. 8 Centralia City Council meeting that for all intents and purposes the dog park is only open seasonally — from May to September — due to road and parking issues that stem from the rainy season.
People often park their vehicles on the grass next to the park, disturbing the soil.
“We have to find a way to keep people on the road so that they don’t park on the grass and mud,” Pierson said.
Additionally, the road is not constructed to withstand use during months of heavy rainfall, as it does not have a good base, Pierson said.
Other issues Pierson detailed include the fact there’s no paved parking; the entrance gates are too narrow to accommodate wheelchair entry while also holding a dog’s leash; there’s no “pad” where folks with limited mobility can use to gain access to the park; and the park would need Department of Ecology approval for any improvements due to it being in a shoreline and flood-course area.
Pierson said the Fort Borst Park dog park was donated, designed and constructed due to the work of area resident Mary Jo Qualey in 2008. To make the effort possible, the City of Centralia donated about 1 acre of land. The city shares maintenance duties with a few local groups and supplies dog waste bags for park-goers and also empties the garbage bins.
Since the Fort Borst dog park came to be through the good will of others, the city does not want to close it permanently, though it is experiencing issues of seasonal closures right now, Pierson said.
The new facility at Rotary Riverside Park would see improved accessibility with sidewalks from Lowe and Bridge streets and an accessible paved parking lot.
“The sidewalks would connect to our trail system, which I think is a must to make sure that people would literally be able to come in, cross the road, go down into our trail system and be able to utilize that through the whole park area,” Pierson said.
The off-leash area would have wide gates and a walkway for entrance, and new infrastructure constructed with the park would see the installation of a curb and gutters in addition to the sidewalks.
Pierson said he brought the idea of the new park to the council due to its merits.
He said the new facility would have improved accessibility, would be open year-round and would improve the offerings of Rotary Riverside Park.
Out of the estimated $270,972.46, the sidewalks will cost the most, at about $82,500. That expense would be followed by $48,233 for an asphalt parking lot, $37,450 for fencing and $35,843 for installing a curb from AutoZone to the skate park, among other estimated expenses.
