Sturgis dog park proposal moves forward

Discussion regarding the concept of a dog park in the city of Sturgis continued this week, as the city’s parks and cemetery board reviewed pros and cons of a committee’s findings.
After municipal leaders agreed to the idea, the conclusions of the committee charged with establishing the location highlighted Tuesday’s agenda. The committee has already suggested Old Depot Park as the location for the site.
After discussion, the board voted 3-1 to move the proposal forward.
Some concerns brought up Tuesday included the possibility of people having dogs not vaccinated and the potential for the presence of aggressive dogs.
Chairman Lee Austerman said there is potential for something bad to happen with both large and small dogs in a confined space. Still, he believes the park is a positive step for the community.
City Manager Mike Hughes, who attended Tuesday’s meeting, said there have been frequent requests from residents to establish a dog park.
The parks and cemetery board made a recommendation to the city commission not to exceed $50,000 on the project.
City commissioners are expected to vote on the dog park proposal at their July 27 meeting.