Hopes dashed on park for dogs

The Watertown City Council put what appears to be a definitive ax in a proposed dog park. Lawmakers said Monday night that they will not designate land in the city for the project, citing costs to maintain the park.

Scott A. Gates has hounded city brass for more than a year to lend him green space to house a dog park. With boosters and support from various dog-friendly businesses, the Dorsey Street man said he could garner enough resources to build the park; as long as he has at least two acres designated from the city for the project.

Following a winter's worth of lobbying from Mr. Gates, Mayor Jeffrey E. Graham asked the council to revisit the project at a meeting last week. Leaving Mr. Gates to raise money for a park without a destination, he said, was not fair.

Mr. Gates presented the park as a project that private fundraising would help build, but the city would be in charge of upkeep. He put a $30,000 price tag on the construction.

Councilman Peter L. Clough said that long-term maintenance costs worried him, although a definitive annual cost was never calculated. Councilors Jeffrey M. Smith and Roxanne M. Burns both said they would not support the project.

"The broad-based appeal just isn't there," Councilman Joseph M. Butler Jr. said.

Mr. Gates said he will continue to update the council about fundraising and a dog walk scheduled for June 28 at the Huntington Street campgrounds will still be held.

"I guess it's pretty clear that it is not the intention of the council to designate any property for that usage," the mayor said.

While the council agreed not to throw dog park advocates a bone, it did give a stamp of approval to expanding bus routes into the town of Watertown at the meeting. Lawmakers said the expansion will take well over a year to complete and will cost about $119,000 annually.

The city plans to expand routes along outer Arsenal and Washington streets that will reach shopping centers, medical buildings and apartment complexes in the town of Watertown.

Expanding the routes means the city will need to buy another bus. With petroleum-based fuel prices rising, the mayor suggested that the city find a bus that runs on alternative fuels, like compressed natural gas.

The gas burns clearer than typical fuel, but its price may also increase, City Manager Mary M. Corriveau said.

"We're going to need to look at the long-term operating costs," Mrs. Corriveau said.

Mr. Graham said a fare hike could be in the future if the routes are expanded.

"If we're going to expand, then we need to look at fares," he said.

The city now charges $1 per route. A rider can take the bus from the Arsenal Street transfer station to the Salmon Run Mall for a single fare.

The city expects to collect $95,000 during the 2008-09 fiscal year from fares.

In February, Transit Supervisor Kathy S. Webster said there are about 1,500 to 2,000 "day-to-day" customers that use the bus. With gas prices on the rise, empirical evidence suggests that number could rise in the coming year.

"The rising price of fuel will force some lifestyle changes," Mr. Graham said.