PHOTO #1: The City of Victoria will construct a dog park in Riverside Park.
PHOTO #2: This map shows the proposed location of a new dog park within Riverside Park according to the Parks & Recreation master plan.
The implementation of the newly approved Parks & Recreation master plan is underway, and one of the first projects to come out of the plan is one that Victoria residents have been asking about for a long time: a dog park within Riverside Park.
“I’ve been hearing requests for a dog park since I first came to Victoria,” said Parks & Recreation Director Jason Alfaro. “The new master plan will help to guide us as we invest in our community’s needs, and the dog park project will be the first of many.”
During the master planning process, residents were surveyed about their future service needs, and dog parks were the most popular write-in facility choice. The master plan will help to guide the design of the dog park.
The Victoria Sales Tax Development Corporation has set aside $500,000 in Type 4B sales tax revenue for the construction of the dog park. This revenue legally must be used for community development projects, a role that the dog park will fill by enhancing livability for Victoria residents and their four-legged friends.
Parks & Recreation is also partnering with local Girl Scout Izzy Drane on the project. Izzy first approached the Parks & Recreation Commission at their September meeting to propose helping to create a dog park for her Girl Scout Gold Award project. She will raise funds and collect sponsorships for the amenities within the dog park.
“She’s a go-getter—very smart and well-spoken,” Alfaro said. “Working with her has been a fun and positive experience for all of us, and we appreciate the work she’s done to reignite interest in this project.”
Parks & Recreation officials plan to secure design services for the project within a month. Construction is expected to begin in the summer.
To learn more about the Parks & Recreation master plan, visit www.victoriatx.gov/parks-master-plan.