By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Whitewater’s dog park could soon be on the move after city officials have found a series of deficiencies at the current site.
The aptly named Whitewater Bark Park, 933 Commercial Ave., is in an area designated as a wetland, based on state Department of Natural Resources criteria. The delineation is, perhaps, most evident by the ongoing pooling of water near the park’s entrance.
In lieu of the current site, a dog park could occupy portions of the former Alpha Cast property on the southwest and northwest corners of the Jefferson Street-Starin Road intersection.
The Community Development Authority in recent years has played a role in transitioning the site, which has since wound up in the city’s hands.
Although a number of specifics still need to be fleshed out, City Manager Cameron Clapper said at least two proposals are on the table for the property: converting a portion of it to a new dog park and designating some of it as a training grounds for members of the Whitewater Fire Department.
Clapper discussed the plans at a Common Council meeting June 20. The proposal is moving on to the Parks and Recreation Board for further scrutiny before heading back to the council with a recommendation and a final vote.
Chuck Nass, the city’s superintendent of streets and parks, said the existing Bark Park site has encountered problems from the get-go, including an improperly installed fence around the green space. Maintaining the property, he said, is cumbersome.
Jeff Knight, former chair of the CDA, recommended city officials inform property owners living near the former Alpha Cast site of the proposed changes.
“You’ll want to make sure to reach out to the neighbors because they had been promised a playground,” Knight said. “But I think it’s a great place for a dog park.”
Assuming plans move forward, Clapper said the city would take down fencing at the current Bark Park site, and it would no longer be designated as a municipal green space.
