Dear PoP – Newark Dog Park?

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“Dear PoP,

I think this is worth debate. The city is spending 400 thousand dollars on a dog park going into a wealthy garden community in upper NW. McLean Gardens. Now I can see the city building dog parks in our dense inner city areas with few green places to walk dogs even on a leash, but there are ample places to do so in Mclean Gardens. But what really raises my brow is that at a time when the District claims to be struggling to come up with money for funding safety net programs they are spending 400 THOUSAND dollars on a dog park. Does it really cost 400k for a dog park? I could bulldoze my house and build a new one for 400k. If the residents really want their dogs to be able to run off leash can’t they just put up a chain link fence for 10k and call it a day? Isn’t that what the city did for a dog park in Adams Morgans’ Walter Peirce Park? And in addition to the 400k the city is spending the neighborhood raised 25k for amenities to add to the park after the citys investment. Will there be a pool and sauna? Does the city make public the break down for the costs associated with a project like this? I think we are getting ripped off. I’m picturing the invoice charging us 5000 dollars for a box of nails. and 30,000 dollars for a trash can sort of thing. Is this another no bid contract? I have an uncle that would gladly bid 50k to build McLean Gardens a sweet Dog Park.”

WTOP says:

“The 11,000-square-foot park will be located off Wisconsin Avenue at 39th and Newark Streets in Northwest.

The District is spending more than $400,000 on the park, and residents raised another $25,000 to pay for amenities, such as park benches.

The park is scheduled to open in August.”