Village Board OKs Construction Of Oswego's First Dog Park

OSWEGO, IL — Oswego will soon be home to its first dog park. At Tuesday night's Committee of the Whole meeting, the Oswego Village Board gave the green light for the construction of the new park, which will be located near the Public Works Facility and not too far from Oswego High School.

The park is expected to open next summer, officials said in a release Wednesday afternoon. It'll include two separate recreation areas to accommodate both small and large dogs. The park's design also includes a training area and additional amenities.

"Oswego is a great place for families, and we want every family member to have a spot for recreation," Village President Troy Parlier said in a statement. "This is a prime opportunity that leverages existing resources, and I’m looking forward to seeing families and their pets at our new dog park next year."

The project is expected to cost $99,000, which includes a 20 percent continency and will be budgeted as part of the village's capital program for construction in the 2023 fiscal year, staff reported.

Village staff also plan to fundraise to help pay for the park. They might also consider fees for people bringing their dogs to the park as a way to offset the cost, officials said.

"We estimate there are about 6,000 dogs in the community," Public Works Director Jennifer Hughes said in a statement. "It takes advantage of space we aren’t currently using to provide this amenity to our community."

Before settling on the Theodore Drive location, two other spots were considered, including on the east side of the Oswego Police Department or at Venue 1012. At the police station, there is no adjacent parking available and at the concert center, the space is limited and needed for concert-goers, Patch reported.

Currently, the nearest dog parks to Oswego serve the Fox Valley and Plainfield park districts.

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