Elmhurst Park District officials plan to repurpose a long-closed and vacant trailer park in unincorporated south Elmhurst as Canine Corner, the city’s first community dog park, with help from a $250,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
Elmhurst Park District officials announced that State Representative Jenn Ladisch-Douglass of the 45th District secured a $250,000 grant from the state Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to support the development of Canine Corner. The grant will cover a significant portion of the estimated overall $2.2 million cost of the park.
“I’m thankful for the hard work of the Elmhurst Park District officials who are making this dog park a reality,” Ladisch-Douglass said in a statement. “This is going to be a fun spot for families and residents of all ages, and I’m excited to see it move forward.”
Elmhurst Park District Executive Director James Rogers told Pioneer Press that construction on the 3.4-acre site at 0S761 Old York Rd. is expected to start in the next few weeks, with a planned opening for the dog park in September.
The new park will include large and small dog play areas, a water feature/splash pad, an agility course, a tunnel, and more, according to Rogers. A shelter, seating, picnic tables, and shade areas are also included in plans for the park.
“We believe it will be very popular and will serve everyone in the community,” Rogers said. The splash pad, he said, was highly mentioned in community comments. Asked about the possibility that a larger dog might get stuck in the tunnel, Rogers laughed and said, “This park will be a judgment-free zone for all dogs.”
Access to the dog park will be limited to members who purchase a membership and have a Park District-issued key fob for entry to the park and parking area. Annual memberships are expected to cost $70 per dog, with discounts for owners with more than one dog. Rogers said the membership model is intended to make sure dogs in the park are up to date on rabies vaccinations. The Park District will begin selling dog park memberships later this year, District Director of Marketing Kari Felkamp said.
In addition to memberships, Felkamp said there are many sponsorship opportunities for local businesses, families and individuals to cover the costs of some of the features of the park.
The Park District has already received some significant donations for park amenities. The first was a donation for sponsorship of the 20 x 40-foot shelter from long-time Elmhurst veterinarian John Devries and his wife Linda. The second sponsorship was for the entry plaza with a dog sculpture and a bench from Michele Pflum and Kevin Graf.
More information on sponsorships is available by emailing [email protected]
The new Canine Corner park is at the end of Old York Road, just north of a dead end near the ramp from westbound Roosevelt Road to York Street.
Rogers said the park, one of the projects on the District’s Vision 2020 plan, has been considered for years. The property for the park was purchased by the district in 2017, he said.
More information on Canine Corner is available at epd.org/projects.
More Top Picks Best Electric Standing Desks Under 500
Graydon Megan is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.