Rates Chosen for New Orland Park “Dogout” Dog Park

Yellow Dog March 21, 2013 at 12:49 pm

I can walk my dog in the local park for free, why would I pay $25 and then get in my car and drive over there?

Wendy March 21, 2013 at 04:09 pm

Yellow Dog, you don't have to use the dog park. I can and do walk my dog for free at the park as well. However, I think having a safe, local place for my dog to play off- leash is a great idea, plus pup enjoys car rides too. Worth it to us.

K March 21, 2013 at 07:33 pm

I didn't know you had to pay to go to these parks? I have seen them in the past and it's just a gate and people walk in and out as they please. Does this mean it will only be open for certain hours? It's a park. If our taxes are paying any of it then it should be free. Isn't it just a fence around some public land anyway?

Megan James March 21, 2013 at 08:05 pm

K - When you sign up to be a member, and pay the fee, you're giving a key or access card that allows you to open the gate. One of the advantages of this is that is does help other dog owners know that only those who are registered are using it. This is important because in order to get a key, not only do they have to pay a fine, but they have to provide proof that their dog are up to date on all their vaccanines. Very important in the rare event a fight breaks out or a dog freaks and accidently bites someone one. Course, $80 for non-residents is the highests I've seen. $25-$30 for residents is about average. Non-resident is usually only double resident fees.

Megan James March 21, 2013 at 08:14 pm

Yellow Dog - while what you say is true, there is a benefit for some dog owners to take their dogs to a dog park. One huge benefit is your dog does not need to be on a leash in these dog parks, so they can run around freely getting even more exercise. Another benefit is it provides a safer environment for your dog to build up better social skills when their exposed to and allowed to interact with other dogs and more people. Its a safer enviroment because all dogs must be up to date on their vaccinations, so in the event of another dog biting you or your dog, or just having their dog do-do around, you're both less likely to catch a disease. Plus it provides an ease of mind on not needing to go through rabbie testing until waiting for the other dog to get tested.
If you have a fenced in area for your dog to run around in already, or other ways for your dog to get exercise and don't need to worry about good social skills, then its probably not something your dog would benefit from and you wouldn't need to become a member.

laura March 21, 2013 at 09:49 pm

Read in the ChiTrib that the Village never bothered to send out an exploratory questionnaire to gauge the resident interest around Orland in having a dog park, much less one with an annual fee. Hmmmm.... sounds like poor planning to me. Focus groups and intelligence briefs should be conducted BEFORE a project is initiated. Also sounds like OP Township in footing half this bill as well. What, exactly, is the expected ROI on something like this? Do they really think this park will pay for it's own maintenance, much less initial construction costs, plus planned improvements, such as a potential DOGGIE SWIMMING POOL (Yes, really! Read the Trib story) that they say would be built from the excess funds from constructing the fence. If fence only cost $70K, why not return that overage to a general fund? $200K is quite a bit of cash to lay out for a park that apparently the residents didn't exactly request, and the Village never really queried its demand!! Another WASTE of tax-payer money.... That cash could have been re-allocated to a more beneficial use, such as funding the food pantry, helping find transportation for seniors and others who need it, providing continuing education classes for the now-un- or under-employed.... MANY better ideas. WHY a DOG PARK, Village Hall??

Kathy Wallace March 21, 2013 at 11:53 pm

Laura....WHERE have you been? Orland Park has been trying for a dog park for the last two years. It's been all over the paper and everywhere else. There are thousands of dogs in Orland Park who need a safe place to play off leash. We have parks for kids, for adults, for walkers, for bike riders, for skaters, for swimmers, for everyone except our four legged friends. I could not be more excited and I'm glad the village is requiring pass cards and proof of vaccinations. That makes it safe for everyone. We can't wait!

laura March 22, 2013 at 02:18 am

Kathy Wallace, WHO exactly are these people you CLAIM have clamored for a dog park in Orland Park? Please cite your sources. Please cite the studies. Please cite the results of any focus groups, any questionnaires or any pre-construction requests for feedback from the residents who are funding this waste of tax-payer funds! You can not, because they do not exist. Do, please, spare us all your "four-legged-friend" rants. I'd much rather befriend (and fund services for!) the two-legged mammals in the village who need assistance. Unless, of course, you'd prefer to add more dollars to your tax bill to support other PEOPLE. I've live here since 1987 and do not see the need for a park for DOGS when there are plenty of PEOPLE still struggling to recover from 2008's Great Recession. Please, stop plying PR for the OP Village Hall and its ilk....

frank March 22, 2013 at 03:15 am

Waste of money from the git-go.
Probably no accounting of fees collected and costs afterwards. I already see the headline, "Friendly pit-bull mauls Grandma's snookums". Didn't that happen on the North side of Chicago at a dog-park with a policeman's dog , no less. Can you really justify the COST? Wake up trustees! That's quite a price for a PHOTO-OP. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sean Knapp March 22, 2013 at 01:38 pm

Is the 25.00 per visit? or is that a membership fee for the season? Im thinking that would be for a season, but these days you never know.

Karen March 22, 2013 at 01:40 pm

The first article posted said it was per year. Unless it was changed at the meeting.

Ben Feldheim (Editor) March 24, 2013 at 05:36 am

It's still per year.