The city of Merrill has budgeted $12,500 for the development of a dog park.
The idea for a dog park has been brought up for the past several years, said Parks Department director Dan Wendorf, and the funding has been approved for this year.
“The biggest cost initially is a fence,” he said. “We would also like to eventually provide agility apparatuses for dogs.”
Finding a location for the dog park is the first task, Wendorf noted. He mentioned the possibility of using available open space in existing city parks. The MARC was the initial location considered.
“I want to take a step back and look at other locations,” Wendorf said, “and ask citizens to help with ideas on the location.”
The site for the dog park should be between 1 and 3 acres, Wendorf said. He mentioned some possible options as Stange’s Park, Streeter Square, Gebert Park, Ott’s Park, Prairie Trails Park or an open space across from Athletic Park, along with the MARC.
“I challenge everybody to start thinking about it, and listen to your constituents,” he told the Park & Recreation Commission at a recent meeting.
Consideration in selecting a location include the makeup of the surrounding neighborhoods and whether the location is convenient for users.
Wendorf said he would like to get further input on the location from community members who have come to the city with the idea of the dog park.
“By summer, I’d like to at least have the location picked out and have the fence up,” he said.