By Mike Berger
The revised map above, dated February 2021, depicts the approximate new location of the planned dog park.
Excitement has been steadily building for the new planned dog park at the Paul Revere Heritage Site, which is set for an opening sometime next year.
Stipulated as part of the original agreement between the town and the developer of the property, Canton Holdings LLC, the dog park was originally slated to be built on the eastern edge of the site near the Canton Junction train station, but it will now be moved closer to the river on the western edge of “Lot 8.” Additionally, the developer, with the backing of the Select Board, has scrapped plans to build retail/commercial space on that portion of the site in favor of building another 77 condominium units, all of which would be restricted to residents 55 and older.
In addition to designing and constructing the dog park, Canton Holdings has also agreed to build a parking area with 10 dedicated spaces for the dog park visitors and five additional spaces to be shared with the residences.
At last week’s Select Board meeting, Bernie Plante of Canton Holdings told board members that he has begun to gather design ideas and expects to commence construction on the park in the spring, with the project expected to take around 60 days to complete.
Once it is finished, Canton Holdings will deed the property to the town, and a nonprofit group, the Friends of the Canton Dog Park, will assume responsibility for park maintenance while also working with the Select Board to promulgate rules and regulations.
Plante said he has consulted with the Canton Conservation Commission and the American Kennel Association for design ideas, and the Friends of the Canton Dog Park are also expected to have input into the design of the park, which they hope to limit to Canton residents only.
Carolyn Molway, the leader of the Friends, also attended last week’s Select Board meeting and said she’s received assurances from Plante that they will “build it right.” That part of the property currently has a lot of trees and Molway is hopeful that as many as possible can be spared.
Molway said the Friends were formed in late 2020 and they have grown to include nearly 50 members, largely through word of mouth and social media, although more volunteers will be needed as they move forward in the process, she said.
The fundraising for maintenance costs will commence once the group is approved for 501(c)(3) status, which will likely come after the park is built.
Molway said they will have a clearer idea of maintenance costs once they know what kind of materials are being used (grass, turf, wood chips). “It will depend on what the developer puts down,” she said.
Until the design and construction are complete, the Friends will focus its efforts on fundraising for groups such as the Humane Society and discussing proposed rules, including hours of operation and whether to implement an age restriction for children.
Molway said some of the costs could be covered by a state grant, which could potentially open up the park to out-of-town visitors.
A website for the Friends of the Canton Dog Park is currently under construction. In the meantime, Molway said interested residents can contact her at dogparkcanton@gmail.com.
Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=98122
