Town Narrows in on Locations for Dog Park

Riverdale Park's town council announced their support Monday night for a potential dog park after ongoing advocacy for it earlier this year and with Maryland National Capital Park Police and Planning narrowing in on at least two locations for planning.  

The baseball field and open tennis area, accessible on 51st Avenue, is a prime location for the park. A typical dog park should be about an acre wide with flat terrain and enough trees for shade, Eileen Rivera, representative from park and planning, said.

The park on 51st Avenue is roughly 30,000 square feet and includes a smaller area that can serve the small dogs at 4,500 square feet.

"The park is already pretty popular," Rivera said.  

As a result, the potential location has generated interest from the community due to its close proximity to the homes. There's enough space to place benches, and perhaps even build a mini-obstacle course for the dogs.

The cost will be about $50,000 to $60,000, primarily for the fencing and not including the costs of water. If the water is too expensive to bring in for the fountains, though, the water fountains will be scrapped. The cost does not include annual maintenance fees, either. Rivera offered the idea of a membership only park, similar to that in Hyattsville's dog park, where members pay a small fee in agreement to use the park and follow rules in effort to maintain it.

Another location would be dependent on the potential sale of the Boys & Girls club house further down 51st Avenue. With water right on the site and land size of about 30,000 square feet, the space may be suitable. But the safety of the area and lack of lighting is still a concern for MNPC

Residents are generally in support of the project, despite the lack of parking in both areas.

Park and planning will need to look into options for handicap parking, and consider ways to abate the problem of dog park members parking in non-permitted spots in the neighborhoods, blocking residents in their own area.