City dog park alive

The Watertown City Council is expected to throw dog lovers a bone at a work session Monday when it revisits a request for a dog park.

This is expected to be the first discussion about the park since September when city lawmakers gave the park's organizer Scott A. Gates little direction as to how to proceed, except to begin fundraising.

Since then, Mr. Gates has become a fixture at council meetings and recently has been tailed by a pack of followers. He's also managed to sneak his dog, Mia Marie Bumblebee, a husky-border collie mix, into meetings.

"All we're asking for is the land and for them to maintain it once it's done," Mr. Gates said Friday. "We can't really come up with a figure for how much it's going to be until they give us a piece of land."

Throughout the winter, Mr. Gates's comments about the park during the privilege of the floor sessions have prompted very few discussions.

His lobbying appears to have paid off, though.

"Goodness knows he's been to several meetings and probably at his age has the ability to come to several more," Mayor Jeffrey E. Graham said at a meeting last month. "I think what he's been looking for is if they're successful with their fundraising drive, a site that the council would reserve. There's no ultimate commitment of money from the city or anything else, but it is difficult to raise money with tremendous uncertainties."

Mr. Gates said that once the city identifies a location for the park, he can focus on fundraising. He was home Friday morning typing fliers for a dog walk that will take place at a campground on Huntington Street in the city later this month.

Eugene P. Hayes, city superintendent of public works, presented the council a list of possible locations last summer, a few of which were at various locations in Thompson Park.

Members of the council, including the mayor, said they don't want dogs en masse at the city landmark.

Another location, along the western edge of the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds, was shot down by both the council and Mr. Gates. The park's organizer said the three-quarters of an acre plot would not be large enough.

Other possible locations for the project include:

■ 2.8 acres behind the Samaritan Medical Plaza (formerly a Kmart store).

■ 1.5 acres between Cosgrove and Sherman streets.

■ 5.5 acres along outer Pearl Street near the former city landfill.

■ 2.2 acres along the access road to the Route 3 boat launch.

■ 5.5 acres on property owned by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Jefferson County that abuts the boat launch.

■ Thompson Park — four locations ranging in size from 2.2 acres to 3.5 acres, three of which are along the Gotham Street entrance road.

All of the sites, except for the 5.5 acres that abuts the boat launch, are owned by the city.

A map depicting each site has been prepared. Mr. Hayes said he's partial to the sites at Thompson Park along the Gotham Street entrance because they are far away from children but still centrally located within the city.

Until a location is picked, Mr. Gates said, he'll continue to rally supporters.

"I think Thompson Park is the best location but it's split my base of people," he said. "I'd rather not have a site that's controversial."

Mr. Gates said the money he's raising will pay for a fence, signs, "poop bag dispensers" and water.

The Dorsey Street homeowner said he's asking for donations and has received commitments for groups for in-kind services. He announced in March that the owner of Alpine Fence, 18000 Route 3, would donate the fencing material and labor for the project.

The city has not yet decided whether the park needs running water. That would inflate the cost, which Mr. Hayes has suggested could float near $700,000.

Mr. Gates thinks the price would be much smaller.

"A two-acre site, we should be able to do for about $30,000," he said.

On Friday, dog park boosters had handed in $1,172 to the city, which is collecting donations, Comptroller James E. Mills said.

"There's no reason this can't be built this summer," Mr. Gates said. "There's a subculture of dog lovers around here. Every time a dog park opens, I get e-mails from all over the country about them."

The dog walk will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 28 at the Blackwater Campgrounds, 1605 Huntington St. There will be a coloring contest for children, a costume contest for the dogs, raffles and food. To sign up, visit the Web site set up by Mr. Gates.