Fundraising continues for dog park in Cheboygan

CHEBOYGAN — A volunteer group seeking to bring a dog park to the area continues to make progress on raising funds for the project.

Led by Dale Rieger, chairman of the Cheboygan Parks and Recreation Commission, the group has raised nearly $15,000 for the construction of a dog park in the northeast corner of the fenced part of the Cheboygan County Fairgrounds near the south side of Lincoln Avenue.

Dog parks are controlled areas where canines can exercise and play off-leash under the supervision of their owners. Currently the nearest dog parks to Cheboygan are located in Boyne City and Gaylord.

The minimum size needed for a community dog park is between a half of an acre and one acre. The space at the fairgrounds is just about one acre. Right now, plans call for about two-thirds to be set aside for large dogs and a third of an acre for smaller dogs.

Cheboygan County Administrator Jeff Lawson intends to apply for a matching grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. to fund the majority of the project. The committee is now soliciting pledges from residents and businesses to for the grant and hopes to secure at least $20,000 in pledges before the end of this month.

To make a pledge and learn more about the park, the group has established a website .

— Contact Paul Welitzkin at pwelitzkin@gaylordheraldtimes.com .

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Fundraising continues for dog park in Cheboygan