Linn County and the City of Hiawatha are progressing on plans for Hiawatha’s first dog park. The proposed park will be located south of Boyson Road and just east of the Cedar Valley Nature Trail in Hiawatha.
On August 20, 2018, the Linn County Board of Supervisors approved leasing .72 acres of county-owned land to Hiawatha as part of the planned dog park that, once complete, will be just under 2 acres. This is the first step in getting the land ready for a future dog park. Other work includes working with Linn County Conservation on a design that incorporates existing trees and creating green space for open grassy areas. Additional parking is also planned. Linn County Conservation owns the approximately 1.48 acres directly south of the planned park. This area is a high quality urban forest that currently is not part of the planned park area.
A completion date could take over a year with an estimated construction cost of $100,260. In meeting the growing needs of the community, a partnership was formed between the City of Hiawatha and Dave Wright for the build out of the dog park. Between Dave Wright and volunteers, the estimated construction cost will be minimalized for the city of Hiawatha with annual maintenance cost of the park below $2,000.
“The future Hiawatha dog park initiative is regionalism working at its best. It is inspirational to see government entities and the public working together for a common goal,” Hiawatha City Administrator, Kim Downs said.
“We are pleased Linn County is able to help the City of Hiawatha advance its plans for a dog park and add to the quality of life amenities available in Linn County. We anticipate this will be a popular destination for area residents and their canine companions,” John Harris, chair of the Linn County Board of Supervisors said.
Click here to see an aerial view of the proposed park area. The southernmost 1.48 acres shown in the image belongs to Linn County Conservation and is not currently part of the planned park area.