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Life Editor

Blaine Park Board commissioners have reintroduced the idea of using the three hockey rinks at Happy Acres Park as a proposed off-leash dog park site.

Jim Kappelhoff, Blaine’s park and recreation director, explained the staff recommendation Feb. 23.

Commissioners approved a motion to forward the idea to the city council.

As proposed, the three 85-foot by 200-foot hockey rinks would become a new place for hounds to romp, play and attend to their outdoor bathroom business.

City council members will discuss the idea of using the Happy Acres rinks on a one-year trial basis starting later this year, Jim Kappelhoff stated
in a memo.

One of the 2010 strategic goals discussed in city council workshops and retreats is to look at the feasibility and location for a dog park or off leash dog area.

According to Kappelhoff, the topic’s history with the park board dates back to 2002 and 2003, when two sites for a park emerged after research by city staff.

Lochness Park, 11121 Lexington Ave., and Happy Acres, 11900 Seventh St., were selected as off-leash dog park locations at during that time, Kappelhoff stated.

While a citizens’ committee recommended Lochness as the preferred site, Kappelhoff reported no action was taken by the board or council after liability and concerns were expressed by the Lochness Park neighborhood, League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) and the Blaine Police Department.

According to Kappelhoff, the citizens’ committee dropped the Happy Acres site because it was not large enough. Dog park development resurfaced last year.

After the city purchased 10 acres of open space for a potential dog park at 11980 Lexington, board members toured the site, but later concurred the $100,000 reimbursement cost to the city’s open space fund would not be acceptable.

Two to three acres of land would have been used for the dog park at the Lexington Avenue location, Kappelhoff explained.

The Blaine Park Board would have to reimburse that fund and meet with another city committee, the Natural Resource Conservation Board (NRCB).

The NRCB develops and recommends policy and planning for the maintenance and preservation of city natural resources.

Like the park board, the NRCB is an advisory committee to the city council.

The NRCB is also charged with developing criteria to guide future open space acquisitions in Blaine.

The NRCB plays a critical role in recommending how the city should spend a $3.5 million open space bond fund approved by a citywide referendum in November 2000.

Kappelhoff listed a number of reasons why city staff was reintroducing the Happy Acres Park site and recommending its hockey rinks be used as a dog park.

Good separation exists between the hockey rinks and the existing playground and ball fields, and there is adequate distance from nearby homes, he said.

The hockey rinks provide a ready made contained area with four-foot wood border and gated access.

Parking is provided and overflow parking could be established during peak park use, Kappelhoff said.

The rinks would be usable for off-leash from April through mid November.

Each rink could serve different dog breeds types (large and small size and special needs). Trash cans, portable restrooms, benches, signage and a bag dispenser could be added later at minimal cost.

Kappelhoff reported that New Hope and Crystal currently use hockey rinks for their off-leash dog parks and have spend less than $500 on similar amenities.

On the negative side, Kappelhoff told the park board the proposed Happy Acres dog park location didn’t have water access and shaded areas for animals.

“Hockey in the winter and dog park the other nine months,” Kappelhoff said. “They are doing that now in New Hope and Crystal; there is no water access.”

During discussion, Commissioner Jeffery Bird asked Kappelhoff how city staff would monitor use of the park by dog owners to determine success or failure.

Kappelhoff said if the dog park proposal was received favorably by the city council, staff would recommend the Blaine Park Patrol have heavy involvement.

“We would have community service officers (CSOs) and part-time staff monitor the situation and take dog owner comments as much as possible” he said.

Commissioner Ron Leathers said it became apparent during a park board tour that the proposed Lexington Avenue dog park site wasn’t going to work out.

“I know the Happy Acres rinks get use already for this purpose,” Leathers said. “It would be nice to do something [official] with these areas,” he added.

While Leathers stated using the three hockey rinks wasn’t a perfect solution, it would provide the city some direction about service and a way to move ahead.

“If you get too small with a site, you run into aggressive dog behaviors,” he added. “Individually, each rink provides about 20,000 square feet. If you open up the boards between all three, you have almost 70,000 square feet.”

Leathers said the council might have to consider increased license fees to pay for a dog park.

Commissioner Tom Newland seconded a motion by Leathers that the Happy Acres Park hockey rink concept be forwarded to the city council for discussion.

“I like the cost savings as well,” Newland said. “It would be a fairly affordable way to try it for a year and see how it works.”

Newland said it would be important for city staff to listen to neighborhood concerns and make sure residents would be comfortable Happy Acres being used as the city’s dog park.

Commissioner Prad Das agreed. He asked Kappelhoff how many dogs might use the park.

Kappelhoff said research from 2003 showed 1,500 city dog licenses.

Commissioner Jon Langenfeld wanted to know if other areas or city parks with hockey rinks could be adapted for dog park use after the one-year trial period.

Kappelhoff said that Ostmans Park, 1200 130th Lane, and Aurelia Park, 382 91st Ave., could be used, but those hockey rinks located were closer to homes.

Jerry Walthour, Blaine Park Board chairman at large, said the park board and council had been discussing off-leash dog park development for eight years.

“It’s an idea whose time has certainly come,” Walthour said. “I like the one-year trial to see how its going to go. We may want to consider increased license fees to help defray the cost. Let’s see what happens. I think it’s going to be incumbent upon the animal owners to really take care of this if they want it to succeed.”

Walthour said if dogs can’t be controlled and waste collection becomes a problem, he could see the Happy Acres dog park idea “failing miserably.”

Park board commissioners unanimously approved staff’s recommendation the Blaine City Council discuss the off-leash dog park proposal at a future workshop.

Tim Hennagir is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it