BY JOHN JORDAN, Staff Reporter

City of Ellensburg Parks and Recreation Director Brad Case proposed a new idea to the Ellensburg City Council for Rotary Park.

This idea includes an off-leash dog park and an approximate cost of the plan. The plan is to build a fence in a corner of the park, where a dog will be able to run free without running away or bothering others in the park.

Figuring out how to get the off-leash park idea funded is Case’s next objective.

“There is no budget authority right now, but estimated costs will probably be around $130,000 after amenities,” Case said.

Some of the amenities include grass maintenance, shelter, and bag stands for picking up after your pet.

Case finds this off-leash park to be a good idea because not only will it keep dogs safe from running away, but it will make it easier for others to enjoy the park as well.

“A concern is that not everyone wants to be around dogs off their leash,” Case said. Some have complained about off-leash dogs, notifying authorities of the issue.

Central Washington Senior Joe Mills feels that the off-leash dog park is a great idea for Ellensburg’s Rotary Park.

“It’s a great spot to take your dog because you don’t have to worry about them running off,” Mills said. Mills explained that he uses that particular park often to get his dog some exercise.

“The two acre space that rotary park will offer is definitely a big enough area for people to enjoy without having space issues,” Mills said.