Hoisington Council gives nod to dog park grant

A suggestion made nearly three years ago to open a dog park in the city of Hoisington hasn’t been forgotten. Monday night, the Hoisington City Council took a significant step toward making the dream a reality when it approved allowing the city to apply for a $25,000 grant to be applied toward fencing and amenities for a dog park similar to those in neighboring cities. In 2015, Sarah Hinman, Hoisington, asked the city to consider installing a dog park. The council was supportive of her proposed efforts but no city dollars were committed. Then, in July, 2017, the Dr. Lindsey Mitchell, who operates Hoisington Veterinary Hospital, began looking into what it would take to install a dog park at her facility south of Hoisington. While the city council was receptive of that idea and it appeared grant money could be applied for to cover the costs of the installation, it was soon discovered that the cost of routine maintenance would be prohibitive.
City Manager Jonathan Mitchell, Dr. Mitchell’s husband, addressed the issue with council members that night.
The additional cost of mowing and cleaning the dog park was estimated to be an additional $100 per mowing, which would add up to several thousand dollars each year. The couple quickly abandoned the idea of requesting the city assist with the mowing because of the perception the public might adopt considering the close ties between the city and the Mitchell family.
Instead, Mitchell proposed two sites at existing parks within the city limits, and a possible funding source to build the park, noting that the dog park would then be part of the city’s already existing maintenance schedule.