Imperial Beach plans first dog park

Maybe it was the adorableness of Bart Bachman's dog giving Brian Bilbray a slurpy kiss — or the persistence of IB Yappy.

On Wednesday night (November 2), the Imperial Beach City Council voted unanimously to pick Veterans Park as the tentative site for its first official dog park and told staff to begin the host of studies that come before such a space can be dedicated.

"Alfie loves everybody and he loves dog parks," Bachman said of his 90-pound Hungarian vizsla, who gave Bilbray a big kiss at an earlier meeting.

In June, the council asked its staff to make recommendations for where the city could site the park. Veterans Park, just north of Imperial Beach Avenue on 8th Street wasn't on the list of potential sites, which included a vacant lot at 10th and Iris streets (near the manned south entrance to the Navy base at Silver Strand) and Reama Park.

But at the parks and recreation committee meeting two weeks ago, IB Yappy proposed that a section of Veterans Park could be used.

The proposal is for 18,500 square feet of running-chasing-catching-tussling space on the east side of the park, south of the soccer field. The homeowners to the east who are potentially affected by the park seem supportive, staff noted.

"This site is large enough for dogs to exercise in a secured and fenced facility, and is city-owned," the staff report says. City estimates to create the park suggest it can be done for less than $20,000.

Katrinka Sieber said she was delighted by the choice of location and is already familiar with the area from walking her chihuahua.

"I walk my dog in that park every day," she said. "I'm glad they're putting it somewhere I can walk to."