The Town of Malta is going to the dogs.
At least, that’s the hope of the Happy Tails Dog Park Committee, which presented plans for a dog park to the Town Board of Monday, Jan. 28.
“It’s a wonderful idea,” said Malta Supervisor Paul Sausville. “There is a great need in the community and a lot of dog owners have wanted this for a long time.”
The committee was formed in 2012 by Malta residents who felt the community needed a dedicated dog park where dog owners could exercise and socialize their dogs in a safe environment that doesn’t bother any other residents. Town Clerk Flo Sickels is the chairwoman.
According to Sausville, the idea of a dog park has been kicked around for at least a decade, but finding a suitable property was always a stumbling block. That property was found in 2006 when the Town acquired a 20-acre parcel on East Line Road known as the Michalko property. The property was purchased with open space money from the town and Saratoga County.
Malta dog enthusiasts quickly identified the property as a possible dog park due to its rural location and large open spaces. Sausville agreed.
“We think it’s a good fit,” he said.
The supervisor also liked that the committee would be assuming responsibility for the park, because the town doesn’t want to spearhead the project.
“It takes the responsibility off the shoulders of the town,” he said.
Under the plan, the town would still be the recipient of part of the registration fee that dog owners would be required to pay in order to use the park. The proposed fee is $7 for town residents and $12 for non-residents. Of that fee, $2 would go to the town and the rest would go to the committee for regular upkeep, maintenance and additional park development.
New pass collars would be issued for each registered dog annually. The collars would need to be worn when in the Happy Tails Dog Park and are color coded for identification by enforcement officials.
Someone caught in the park with a dog not wearing the required collar would be issued a warning on first violation, followed by a $100 fine per dog for subsequent violations.
According to Sausville, the construction of the park will be completed in three phases, with each phase to cost around $30,000, for a total of $104,000. The money for construction would come from the Happy Tails Dog Park Committee, and no burden would be placed upon the taxpayers for park development and regular dog park related maintenance and upkeep, he said. Funding would originate from membership fees, donations, communal fundraisers, commercial and corporate sponsorships and grants and awards.
The first phase of construction is targeted for the early summer, assuming the plans are met with town approval. That phase would include parking, entrance driveway improvements, signage, large dog area fencing and two waste stations. Subsequent phases would expand the play area and include the addition of water stations for dogs.
Sausville did not anticipate any opposition to the proposed park.
“This is an idea whose time has come,” he said.