Northfield Township Proposed Dog Park
The proposed project is located on the northeast end of the athletic school complex and occupies about 3 acres of unused land. Future development phases are planned and include the addition of a bridge and walking trails on the northeast side of the creek for Phase II and a BMX bike park for Phase III. When fully completed, this area will provide many diverse recreation opportunities and enhance the athletic field complex. Having such amenities in Northfield would also enhance property values, promote economic growth of our downtown, and make our community a desirable place to live and raise a family.
The area is served by an existing driveway and parking area. Future phases also include connecting this park with our non-motorized transportation pathway on Barker Road to the north of the athletic complex. Should that become a reality, it would enhance our community-wide non-motorized transportation network and include a safe hike-bike way and passage from the Elementary School to the Middle School grounds.
History of how the concept came to be
Northfield Township has about 8,500 residents and of those about 2/3 live in the urban area and near downtown where the park will be located. This area of the township exhibits high density land uses with small lots, apartments and a mobile home park. Most residents living in this area do not have backyards or the opportunity for walking their dogs. Considering this deficiency and lack of opportunity and space to walk dogs or allow them to run our Parks and Recreation Commission began to research and plan for a dog park in our community about six months ago. Coincidentally, the Whitmore Lake Public Schools have seen an increase in persons using their athletic field complex at Whitmore Lake Park for walking their dogs. While the schools allow public access to this property, the resulting dog waste presents a problem for kids and the schools.
Our proposed Dog Park will help alleviate that problem. We propose a fenced area for people to walk and run their dog off-leash and, in addition, the improvement of the existing nature trails that meander through the adjacent woodlands along a creek. These trails would afford the opportunity for persons with dogs on a lead and others to further enjoy the outdoors and nature. Currently the existing trails have deadfall and undergrowth that make some areas impassable to the average person. We propose to clear the pathways of obstructions and leave the surrounding woodland as natural habitat for wildlife. These trails would be improved by using woodchips from the deadfall and clearing.
The dog park area will include double entry/exit control gates in a separate fenced-in area, enabling a safe transition from leash to off-leash zones. The gates are planned to be 48 inches wide and the fenced-in area spacious enough to allow easy maneuvering by people that are wheelchair bound. The dog park will also contain a trash receptacle and dog waste disposal stations, a park rule sign, as well as a small seating area with a shade structure and a bench. The trails are also planned to meet or exceed the current Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines by adhering to proper slopes and surface materials. The wooded area will incorporate some pedestrian amenities including dog waste disposal station, bench, and signage.
