DDAWG meeting addresses bidding issues for dog park

Sep 23, 2015

The Dartmouth Dog Advisory Work Group (DDAWG) met with members of the Parks Department Tuesday night to discuss the current stage of the upcoming off-leash dog park.

According to Parks Department Director Tim Lancaster and Vice Chair Jim Vieira, after two rounds of bidding, they were unsuccessful in finding a way to construct the dog park slated for 443 Old Fall River Road at the Dartmouth Regional Park and Trail facility that was agreeable with all the involved parties.

The Stanton Foundation provided the group with a grant to build the park and subsequently, they have a heavy hand in how DDAWG and the Parks Department can approach constructing the park.

DDAWG has been endeavoring since 2010 to have a dog park built for more than 4,200 dogs registered in Dartmouth. In June 2014, Community Preservation Funds were approved in partnership with The Stanton Foundation and the town began finalizing plans to begin the project. However, it’s become a dragged out affair because the location is not on flat land and there are no electricity lines installed there.

The Parks Department representatives proposed that the project could go forward if the project was broken down in several different bids. As of now, however, it’s back to the drawing board said Lancaster.

“It’s a doable project with the money we have,” Lancaster said. The trouble is that though it’s a small project, it has a lot of pieces.

Now it’s just a matter of finding a strategic way to continue with the bidding process.

DDAWG is planning to have the dog park on the ballot for January 2016.

The next DDAWG meeting is scheduled for Oct. 14.