New dog parks? City considering several locations

Does Fido need a place to make new friends?

There might be more places for pooches to play if the city’s park board continues plans to evaluate future dog park locations.

The board is considering additional dog parks at 12 locations throughout Wichita.

The city currently maintains three public dog parks: Meridian on the west side, Chapin in south Wichita and Murfin near the Kansas Humane Society. The first one, Chapin, was started in 2008. All three were built on former landfills.

A city the size of Wichita should have 10 to 12 dog parks, city planner Larry Hoetmer told the Board of Park Commissioners at its meeting Monday.

“We’re a little behind the eight ball, so we’ve got some catching up to do,” Hoetmer said.

“Prior to 2008, it seemed like such a foreign concept (here). But they’re such social centers, full of activity where people meet and compare notes over their types of dogs.”

Hoetmer said the city has learned several lessons from the three dog parks it maintains.

For the potential new sites, city staff members will consider several factors, including location, size, parking, shade and water availability.

“These locations aren’t chiseled in stone by any means, but they’re locations we’re looking seriously at,” Hoetmer said.

The first new dog park constructed may be at Harrison Park, near Harry and Webb.

The city is in talks with Together Wichita, a group of local businesses focusing on community improvement projects throughout the city, for potential funding. The Harrison Dog Park could have separate areas for large and small dogs, drinking fountains, dog showers, paved parking, agility equipment, shelters, benches and landscaping.

For the other dog park locations, the parks department would request money through its capital improvement program funds – $200,000 annually in 2020, 2022, 2024 and 2026.

This story was originally published December 14, 2016 at 6:45 AM with the headline "New dog parks? City considering several locations."