Lebanon city has posted plans and a project manual on PennBid to solicit vendor proposals for construction of a dog park at Coleman Memorial Park.
The dog park will be located on the former site of Gingrich Memorial Pool, which was demolished in 2021. The pool’s footprint has been empty since.
Plans show the existing concrete stairs being kept, leading visitors down from the parking lot to a more than 55,000-square-foot dog park. York-based YSM Landscape Architects designed the project and will oversee its construction.
Lebanon Mayor Sherry Capello said that the project – the first dog park in Lebanon County – has been in planning for a while. When LebTown spoke with Capello last year about the proposal, she said she’s been hearing from residents about wanting a dog park since she became mayor.
Read More: Dog park, splash pad in the works at city’s Coleman and Southwest parks
The park will be split into a 40,373-square-foot large dog area and a 15,356-square-foot small dog area, with chain link fence around the whole park as well as dividing the two sections. A “dog park plaza” at the entrance will contain three gates – one to enter the plaza and one for each of the dog areas.
An accessible parking area is planned near the existing restroom/concession building, with an accessible walkway leading down to the park.
The park will also include benches, trees and other landscaping, trash receptacles, a drinking fountain/dog bowl, and a pet waste station.
Although construction costs have gone up since the project’s inception, the city will largely pay for it through grants and ARPA funds, using a $102,000 DCNR grant, $175,000 of city ARPA funding, and $137,138.06 of earmarked capital reserve funds. Capello said the bid package does not include an access control device, and that the city is initiating a fundraising campaign to pay for that system, as well as offset increased construction costs and establish funds for maintenance and park upgrades.
Donors will be recognized with dog bone signs on the fencing at various contribution levels, such as Top Dog ($25,000 donation), Leader of the Pack ($10,000), Big Bone ($5,000), Paw Partner ($1,000), and Furry Friend ($250).
“I can’t wait for this project to be completed and when I can actually see the big and little doggies running around playing in their areas,” said Capello.
Interested contractors must submit their proposals by Feb. 7. A pre-bid meeting will be held Jan. 29 at Lebanon City Hall, with attendance recommended for all bidders. The project agreement states that all work by the contractor would need to be substantially completed by May 30.
The park is expected to be ready to open by the end of June.
“A dog park has been one of the top items requested by residents and now we will finally be able to provide it to our furry residents and their humans,” Capello said.
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