Dog Park Crew Closer to Marking a Territory

The list of proposed locations for an Oak Forest dog park has been whittled down from many, to two.

The two remaining possibilities include acreage near 135th and Ridgeland, and land on the southeast corner of 159th and Oak Park Avenue. Ald. Laura Clemons (1st Ward) hopes to have a final answer from the Cook County Forest Preserve District within the next month or two.

One answer is clear: a portion of the campus previously being considered is officially out of the running.

This might come as a relief to some residents originally opposed to the idea. For residents living near the proposed area, their concerns ranged from noise, to dog attacks, to vehicle traffic, to you guessed it, the smell of Spot's droppings. Other residents were concerned about disturbing wildlife in the area.

The location was eliminated from the list after a January meeting with the forest preserve district, discussing the future of the campus. It became clear that it just wasn't the best option for the park, Clemons said.

"After hearing the masterplan presented by a consultant, a dog park just wouldn't fit there," Clemons said. "We're not disappointed at all."

While they wait for a final determination, committee members will continue to raise funds for the park, which is expected to cost approximately $10,000 to build. The group is just about halfway to its goal.

The next fundraiser will be a wine tasting event, scheduled for March 18. It will be held at the from 1 to 4 p.m. Tickets will be $20 per person, $30 for a couple. The fee will cover samplings of 6-8 wines, cheese, dips, pizza and other finger foods.

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