Group proposes public-private partnership that would create five-acre park for canines

Dogs may soon think they've gone to heaven in Whitefish.

A five-acre fenced dog park has been proposed in Armory Park and is expected to become part of a master plan being drafted for that park.

A citizens group led by Myni Ferguson and Kerrie Byrne is dogging the project.

"They've empowered themselves, and God bless them," Whitefish Parks Director Dan Keyes said about the group.

Keyes said he supports the idea of a dog park, but wants to make sure it's put in the proper place. Armory Park, anchored by the Roy Duff Memorial Armory community center, contains a new skateboard park and a new dirt-bike track. The remaining acreage needs to be mapped out through a master-planning effort that would include a public meeting and public hearings before the Whitefish Park Board and City Council, he said.

Keyes hopes to have the Armory Park plan completed by the end of May.

Ferguson, a longtime animal advocate, said a Feb. 9 open house to unveil the dog-park plan was well attended.

"It's a very popular idea," she said. "We have lots of volunteers who want to help."

The group expects to raise the minimum $300,000 needed to fence and irrigate the dog park and landscape it with trees and buffers of vegetation. The city's contribution would be the land.

When the money is raised and the park competed, the group would hand it over to the city to maintain, similar to several other community projects in Whitefish that are public-private partnerships. The city's aquatic and fitness center, youth-sports complex, indoor ice rink, performing-arts center and public library were built as public-private projects.

"We envision a volunteer group that would work with the city," Ferguson said. "The city's been wonderful. They realize there are a lot of dog owners here" who would use such a facility.

The city's leash law allows dogs on public trails within the city, but not on park land.

The project likely will be completed in phases. On the wish list is a gazebo in which dog-obedience classes could be held, development of a spring-fed pond on the site and a concrete pad where dogs could be showered off after a romp in the pond.

Ferguson, Byrne and other organizers have been gleaning information from the city of Missoula, which has two dog parks and is planning to add six throughout the city.

"They realize it benefits the community to have the parks scattered around," Ferguson said. "And Animal Control loves it."

Keyes acknowledged that the time has come for a dog park in Whitefish.

"Dog parks are the hottest thing right now," he said.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at [email protected].