08/14/2013
The discussion of a dog park in Uptown Butte needs to be revisited. While not personally a dog owner, the challenges of dog ownership are clear, and there are no available spaces to let your dog run free or play outside because of relevant leash laws and Uptown’s urban community. I recommend the former Cinders Ball Park as a potential location for a dog park for Uptown Butte.
Located between W Silver and W Galena; the hospital, Montana Tech and dense residential areas, the site is ideal for a leash free park. Lacking the facilities for use as a ball park, and with Scown Field just blocks North, this addition to Uptown will only benefit our community. Because of remaining facilities, only basic fencing around the outfield would be required; and restrooms are directly across the street at City parks around the hospital. Future goals for the dog park should include a ¼ mile track with workout stations around the inside perimeter, but for now, simple fencing would do the trick.
Many like-cities have outsourced the management and fund raising for the park to a non-profit organization, leaving the City with little cost or liability to shoulder, but stand-up and maintenance are minimal. Most dog park efforts are supported wholly from volunteer and donated funds, or bi-annual fundraising events.
As a neighbor of the park, I think this would be a good upgrade to an otherwise neglected site, and provide a much needed service to our Citizens. Regardless of specific location or approach, Butte needs dog parks, better bicycle lanes and more pedestrian friendly infrastructure to meet the needs of Uptown citizens and Montana Tech’s student body. This proposed location and the development of a dog park Uptown are simple steps to capitalizing on Butte’s beautiful urban Uptown and to best serve is Citizens.
Brett Berry
519 W Galena Street
Butte, America 59701
