Article Contributed on: 6/5/2009 10:27:40 AM
A new dog park being planned in the downtown Denver area is getting closer to becoming a reality.
The Railyard Dog Park planned for Commons Park near 19th and Bassett streets is expected to break ground in late summer pending final approval from the city. Though it will be small, coming in at less than an acre in size, the off-leash park will give downtown doggies a nearby location to roam and play with their four-legged neighbors.
Plans for the park, which were developed by local nonprofit Railyard Dogs, have been in the works since 2006, said board member Amy Cara. But only a few steps remain before the city's parks and recreation department and auditors office give it the official green light, she said.
"We are definitely coming down the homestretch," Cara said. "This is the first time since we started this process that I feel confident that this thing is going to happen in the near future."
Downtown Denver residents helped form the Railyard Dogs nonprofit in 2006 in response to the growing number of residents walking their dogs around Commons Park. Some worried about the environmental effects of the amount of dog waste trickling down into the nearby Platte River.
After several months of planning, members of the nonprofit came up with a plan for a small dog park with an elaborate drainage system to keep waste out of the river. Another hurdle had to be cleared when planners realized they would need to excavate at least three feet of soil at the dog park site to clear out existing coal ash in the ground.
Clearing toxic residue at the site, which is the home of a former rail yard, is the most expensive part of the process, she said. Excavating the coal ash at the park accounts for about half of the parks' $500,000 budget, she said.
With most of the planning already finished, organizers are gearing up for a final fundraising drive to pay for construction of the Railyard Dog Park. Cara estimates the triangular shaped park will take roughly three months to complete once construction begins. It will feature water fountains for both dogs and owners, shade structures, a pea gravel surface and separate fenced-in areas for smaller and bigger dogs.
"I think it's going to get a ton of use based on the number of people who live around Commons Park," Cara said.
The park will be maintained by the city's parks and recreation department once it's built out. To learn more or make a donation to the park (organizers are selling personalized bricks to be placed under a cabana at the park), go to www.railyarddogs.com.