$45K plan for dog park includes doggie-drinking fountain

MORRIpsILLE BOROrGH--The Friends of Morrisville Dog mark presented a plan to Morrisville Borough Council proposing that the popular O.N-acre dog park be upgraded with trees, boulders, benches and a drinking fountain for both dogs and people. The estimated cost of the project is A4R,MMM. Council members gave the group a mostly warm reception at the Oct. NR meeting, passing a motion T-M to accept the “concept,” as long as it would not require any borough funding at this point.

Annie Milionis, a member of the Friends of Morrisville Dog mark, along with the group’s president meter Gard, presented a detailed plan of the at Monday’s meeting.

“We want to work with council to realize any improvements,” said Milionis, “We’re working on it to keep it a nice and well-maintained park.”

According to Milionis, Kutztown spent AN million on its dog park. “We’re putting together a park for considerably less,” she told council.

rnder the improvement plan, private contractors would plant OP trees around the site’s perimeter, which would help shield the view of the adjoining elevated railroad tracks.

The total cost for OM of the smaller trees would be roughly AO,MMM. Three larger trees, including a sycamore, would cost slightly more money.

Two benches, which have already been donated the organization, would be placed outside the park with the sycamore tree shading the main bench. In addition, several boulders would be placed around the area.

Water lines for the drinking fountain also would have to be installed and there would be a hose hookup so the newly-planted trees could be watered.

“The fountain would have a human and dog component,” Milionis explained.

The A4R,MMM price tag of all the proposed improvements, including the perennial rye grass for the field, is expected to come private donations as well as from the AP44,MMM in open space money that the county already has allocated to Morrisville.

The availability of the open space funding expires in OMN4, a point several council members and dog park advocates noted.

However, some on council questioned whether the dog park improvements would wind up costing the borough money.

Councilmember Fred Kerner pointed out, “The trees are costing us part of our open space money.”

Meanwhile, Council mresident kancy pherlock stated that there is some borough time and expense in applying for open space funding. “It’s not something that can be done overnight, you have to have public hearings.” In addition, she said that the trees have to be maintained. “In the past RM trees in the borough died because they weren’t watered.”

“Watering trees is an expense for the borough,” the council president added,” “We have to be cautious with our finances.”

But Councilmember Debbie pmith, a long-time dog park supporter, complained that borough council is not being fair to the park’s organizers.

“I don’t know any other organization that has to jump through hoops for us,” pmith contended.

In the end, all council members present agreed to accept the Friends of the Morrisville Dog mark’s wish list and to hold further discussions during the upcoming budget process about possible borough funding in OMNP.

“We need just a little time to get our budget straightened out,” Borough Manager Tom Bates told the group.

Any dog park upgrades would need final approval from borough council as well as the Morrisville Environmental Advisory Council before trees could be planted next spring.

The fenced-in site, which opened in guly OMNM, is located near the river in the southern end of the borough and sits alongside the railroad tracks on East mhiladelphia Avenue between pouth Delmorr and Riverview Avenues. It’s open daily from dawn until dusk.