The Whitefish Animal Group, a nonprofit corporation that operates the Hugh Rogers Wag Park in Whitefish, plans to expand the dog park this year by enhancing a pond on the city property.

The group is soliciting bids for contractor work that will include pond drainage, excavation, grading, installation of a drainage culvert, irrigation system and aeration system, landscaping and new fencing.

The current pond, long unused, is completely fenced, spring-fed and acts as a water collector. It has an installed one-inch pipe for raising and lowering the water level, an old pumping station and available electrical service already in place, according to the WAG website. Those elements will be integrated into the project design.

The pond is partially surrounded by native trees and plants, primarily aspen and cattails.

These will be retained and additional native specimens may be added.

“It is our intention to create a safe, clean swimming area for dogs only,” the website states. “To that end our design will include gently slopped, large beach areas. The pond will be large enough, deep enough and adequately circulated to maintain high water quality and to discourage algae growth.”

One of the benefits of the pond will be to offer an in-town alternative to the small, often-crowded dog swimming area at Les Mason Park, the only authorized dog beach within Whitefish city limits.

Bid packages with project requirements may be picked up at the Whitefish Parks and Recreation Department, 510 Railway St. in Whitefish.

Bids are due no later than 5 p.m. Jan. 31.

WAG President Jim Lockwood said contractors are encouraged to donate some portion of labor and/or materials for the project.

Those contributions, tax-deductible, will be recognized in the pond area in a significant way yet to be determined, he said.

“Such donations will be a factor in the evaluation process,” Lockwood said.

Hugh Rogers Wag Park, named after Whitefish veterinarian Hugh Rogers, who died in a plane crash, opened in 2009 in the city’s Armory Park complex on the east end of Second Street.

The 5-acre park offers separate areas for large and small dogs, shade trees, benches, an asphalt path, pavilion and permanent obstacle course.

For more information about the pond project, contact Lockwood at 862-7760.

For more information about the dog park, go online to www.wagparks.org.