ESCANABA — Work is continuing on the Escanaba Dog Park and it is expected to be completed within a week or two, according to Escanaba Recreation Department Director Kim Peterson. The park is located near the Delta County Airport.

“Work is continuing to secure one last piece of fence to the posts,” said Peterson.

Peterson noted a well had to be drilled to provide a water source at the dog park.

“We had to special order a hand pump per public health department regulations,” said Peterson. “It had to be custom-made and it took three weeks to get (it) made and delivered.”

The inception of the dog park started several years ago. After dismissing two locations in Escanaba due to noise concerns, the area by the airport was chosen for the dog park. According to the lease between the recreation department and the airport, the recreation department will pay $1 a month to the airport for the next 30 years to use the 2.75 acres of the Delta County Airport property.

An anonymous citizen donated $12,000 for the installation of the dog park and the Central Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Regional Commission (CUPPAD) granted $5,000 from the Prosperous Places Placemaking Mini-Grant Program in June 2018. The grant required work to be completed by the end of June 2019. Wet weather conditions, however, pushed installation into summer. Contributing factors were a slow rise of the frost line in April and the second wettest May on record. CUPPAD had the option to extend the completion date, request all or a portion of the grant money back, or provide additional money, depending on the situation. CUPPAD approved the work at the Escanaba Dog Park as completed.

“I took pictures of the fence installed,” said Peterson. “Some of the fence wasn’t secured yet. It was approved and money received.”

Delta Fence and Construction’s Vice President Ron Chouinard volunteered his time by consulting and supervising the installation of the fence. Other volunteers who had signed up to help previously were hard to get in contact with when the time came to install the dog park, according to Peterson.

“To be honest, the project was delayed as the list of volunteers that I called…only one showed up to help when we were tying the fence,” Peterson said. “There is the last big section to secure the fence to the posts and we are working on it as we get time.”

Signage will be installed before the dog park opens. Smaller dogs, 17 inches or less at the shoulder, will have half an acre available to run and play in, large dogs will have a full acre. Both areas will have double gates at the entry ways.

Rules of the park can be found at the recreation department before the park opens. Contact the recreation department for additional information, 786-4141.