Dane County Parks to Start Construction of New Dog Park
July 06, 2020
Land & Water Resources
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alex DeSmidt, Dane County Parks
(608) 221-7212 – desmidt.alex@countyofdane.com
Dane County Parks to Start Construction of New Dog Park
Anderson Farm County Park will be home to Dane County Parks’ 8th Dog Park.
MADISON, WI – July 6, 2020
Dane County Parks will begin construction of the County’s eighth dog park this July at Anderson Farm County Park in the Town of Oregon. The approximately 40-acre off-leash dog park will be enclosed with perimeter fencing and offer a separate area for small dogs. Improvements will consist of two parking lots, an electric vehicle charging station, stormwater basins, restrooms, and limestone walking paths through restored prairie. A paved trail will also be constructed parallel to Union Road connecting the new dog park with the existing Arthur Sholts Memorial Woods and the adjacent neighborhood in the Village of Oregon. The dog park is anticipated to open in 2021 and will be the County’s third largest dog park.
“Anderson Farm County Park is a popular park in Dane County, and we are excited to add a dog park to this outdoor recreation destination,” said Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. “We invest in new features at Dane County’s parks so they can be enjoyed by visitors and residents year after year. We look forward to having dog owners enjoy the new park when it reaches completion next year.”
Anderson Farm County Park was established in 2014 and is approximately 310-acres of mostly agricultural fields and woodlands. The park is named after the Lyman F. Anderson Family farmstead that was founded at the site in 1886. Lyman F. Anderson, who passed away in 2005, was a former County Board Supervisor and also served in the Wisconsin State Legislature. The Anderson Park Friends, Inc was formed in 2014 to help the county develop, protect, preserve, and enhance Anderson Farm County Park.
The dog park was identified as part of the phase one development plan in the Anderson Farm County Park Master Plan, adopted in 2013, and was a recommendation in the 2018-2023 Dane County Parks & Open Space Plan. Dane County Parks is also partnering with Anderson Park Friends, Inc. and Rooted, a local non-profit organization focused on food, land, and learning to establish “large-size” garden plots for individuals, organizations and/or market growers at the park.
A permit is required in order to bring your dog to a dog park within the Cooperative Dog Park Program, which includes: Dane County Parks, City of Madison Parks, City of Sun Prairie Parks and City of Middleton Parks. To purchase a permit or make a donation to support the dog park program, visit www.reservedane.com
More information about the dog park program can be found at www.danecountyparks.com/dogs. More information about the Anderson Farm dog park project can be found at www.danecountyparks.com/AndersonDogPark.
About Dane County Parks
Dane County Parks offers a variety of recreational opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast and natural environments for quiet getaways or special events. Dane County Parks takes an active role to enhance and preserve the county’s finest natural resources.
Dane County was one of the first park systems in the United States to develop designated off-leash pet exercise areas and currently has seven off-leash dog parks, totaling 229 acres, each with its own unique features and terrain.
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