Work could begin before the spring of next year on a new dog park in the central part of El Paso.
According to sources, the park will be built at the northwest corner of Tom Lea Lower Park at 1203 Schuster Avenue, roughly two miles to the north of downtown El Paso.
As planned, the new park, which is expected to cost just under $465,000 to build, will include water fountains, benches, waste disposal stations, maintenance gates, and a fenced-off section for smaller dogs.
Funding for the project is coming through a Community Development Block Grant.
El Paso currently has 5 off-leash dog parks of varying sizes and in different pockets of the city.
Dog parks are increasingly becoming an urban mainstay, according to the Trust for Public Lands, which has tracked a 40% increase in such parks during the last decade.
According to a study published earlier this year by the site 24/7 Wall Street, cities in the West have been particularly committed to building such parks. Albuquerque to date has built 17 dog parks, followed by Denver at 16; and Colorado Springs at 11.
By Garry Boulard
