During Monday’s Bowling Green City Council meeting, council heard from citizens regarding the issue of a proposed new dog park in the city.
Council is currently considering a proposed agreement between the city and the Citizens for BG Dog Parks organization, now called BG Dog Parks Inc., to lease a portion of Ridge Park for use as a dog park. The ordinance that would permit such an agreement received its second reading during Monday’s meeting.
Among those who spoke was resident Jo Ascunce.
“As most of you know, for over two years now, when I decided to talk to the council members about creating” a new dog park, she said, “I was actually told by a well-known person in our community that that was not going to happen. … My dream and my passion for the past two years has been to create a space which is easily accessible to many people in this community” and would serve as a gathering place for dog owners and others. “This would include visitors to Bowling Green who would need to exercise their dogs” as they travel, Ascunce said.
“We’re excited about the upcoming lease agreement,” said resident Wendy Manning. “We’re interested in collaborating with the city and building our membership” in BG Dog Parks Inc. “and we’ll look forward to partnering with everybody on this hopefully new amenity in Bowling Green.”
In other business, council:
• Heard from Lindsay Jo Durham, office manager for Downtown BG and secretary of the Bowling Green Arts Council, that the annual Art Walk will be held May 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., followed by a reception at the Wood County District Public Library from 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Durham noted that this year’s community art project involves chairs for the community to decorate. Chairs may be purchased at the the Downtown BG office, 217 S. Church St., for $10. Proceeds benefit the downtown flower fund.
“On the day of the Art Walk, the community is then invited to purchase raffle tickets to vote for and have a chance to win their favorite chair,” Durham said. The chair receiving the most votes will win $50 in Downtown Dollars.
• Went into a 25-minute executive session to discuss collective bargaining. Council later unanimously approved, as an emergency measure, an ordinance authorizing Municipal Administrator Lori Tretter to sign a contract with the International Association of Firefighters Local 2379.
