The Owensboro City Commission voted in unanimous approval on a municipal order that officiates the City’s agreement to establish a permanent, fenced-in dog park within a 2-acre section of Legion Park.
The agreement follows an earlier motion approved by city commissioners two weeks prior, seeking a memorandum of agreement between the City and the Owensboro Dog Park Association for the development of Castlen Dog Park.
Steve Castlen, the business owner and real estate broker for whom the dog park is named, was the primary donor for Castlen Dog Park. Castlen said he believes and hopes the City will begin the bidding process as soon as possible. He also said people across the city are anxious to contribute in support of the dog park.
“We’ll take the donations and earmark them to the City,” Castlen said.
Castlen said the agreement to build a public dog park has involved a lot of deliberation and “jumping hoops” along the way, referring to the decision to change the dog park’s location from Yewell-Heritage Park to Legion Park. Castlen believes residents will benefit more from the park being located on the Legion Park grounds.
“People were already walking their dogs there, so we thought it’d be a good, central location,” Castlen said. “Legion has shade, grass, walking trails and restrooms.”
The total cost needed for Castlen Dog Park should fall somewhere around $75,000, according to Amanda Rogers, Director of Owensboro Parks & Recreation. But, with a significant amount of donations making up such a large portion of the costs, and with park officials already provided at Legion Park for maintenance, costs to the City are expected to be quite minimal in funding the dog park.