Potential downtown Milwaukee dog park would be 1st of its kind

MILWAUKEE - A new dog park could soon come to downtown Milwaukee and it would be the first of its kind in the area. You can help the city win grant money to construct it.

"A facility like a downtown dog park has been one that’s been identified as a much-needed community need," said Matt Dorner, Milwaukee Downtown BID #21.

The dog park would be located at Clybourn and Plankinton.

"We’ve had an incredible boom of residential population, more offices that are dog-friendly, hotels that are dog-friendly and really, a growing population of dog-owners downtown, but ultimately, there really is no public facility in the greater downtown area," said Dorner.

Milwaukee Downtown applied for a "Bark for Your Park" grant and is a finalist. Now, it's down to the community vote, and the top five winners will receive $25,000.

The grant money would be used for the construction of the park.

"The proposed plan includes synthetic turf with irrigation for easy maintenance and cleanliness, a separate large and small dog area, bringing in water as well as lighting into the site," said Dorner.

The 13,000-square-foot project would also include agility stations. Its location would be another perk.

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"And also take advantage and clean up some space," said Dorner. "The position of it under I-794, that’s commonly ‘forgotten about space,’ underutilized, where a facility like this really is ideal for a location like that."

Milwaukee Downtown employees hope to have this dog park completed by this time next year, but they need your help to win that grant money.