Owatonna dog park becomes reality on Owatonna

OWATONNA — Steele County is going to the dogs — but it’s not a bad thing.

The Steele County Board of Commissioners approved a conditional use permit which will allow Theresa and John Johnson to open the first ever dog park in Steele County.

The Johnsons will open Owatonna Dog Park, an outdoor, fenced in park on their own land, south of Owatonna on 48th Street.

John Johnson said his wife has been researching dog parks for the past few years, finding what works and what doesn’t.

“All we’re trying to do is serve a need of the people,” John Johnson said to the board Tuesday evening.

The privately owned dog park will turn six acres of the Johnson’s property — just west of the Monterey Ballroom — into an off-leash park for dogs enclosed by a five-foot high fence.

Theresa said many parks only have a four-foot high fence, but she wanted a higher fence with close locking material for extra security.

The park will be open to members through an annual fee. In order to ensure safety of the dogs, rules and regulations, including up-to-date vaccinations, will be required before dogs enter the park.

“That’s one of the main things I will police is that they have to be healthy and have their vaccinations,” Theresa Johnson said.

Once inside the park, it will be mostly self-policed with owners expected to pick up after the dogs. Johnson said when a member is paying to be there, they are more apt to ensure they and others are following the regulations.

“People love their dogs. For some people it’s like their children. If someone is paying to come into this park, they want the amenity of having a clean park,” Theresa said. “Everybody wants a clean park and a healthy park.”

Theresa added she will also be in the park on a daily basis.

There will be a separate entrance and exit pens for the safety of the dogs and a separate fenced-in area will be set aside for smaller dogs.

For the dogs’ two-legged counterparts, a portable toilet, shaded benches and walk paths will be provided.

The dog park will be allowed to be open from sunrise to sunset. The Johnsons said they plan to have the park open 365 days a year to its members. Theresa added cross-country skiing within the park with the dogs is even a possibility considered for some owners.

Now that the permit has been acquired, the Theresa Johnson said they hope to have the park open by Oct. 31.

“It’s really coming along. We’re crossing our fingers for Indian summer yet,” she said.

To acquire a membership or for more information visit www.owatonnadogpark.com.

Wendy Reuer can be reached at 444-1565.

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Member Opinions: By: atlascollapsed on 10/14/09 Great website. I'll support the park with my "kids." Whats sad is I'm sure there will be some who feel they shouldn't have to pay for the service or thats it's too expensive. But that is their choice. Good luck in the endeavor. By: pookah on 10/14/09 Excellent! Congratulations and good fortune to them! We will be coming out there with our Cavies! By: Thuljunior on 10/14/09 Great example of ordinary citizens doing a better job than government could of providing a simple service. By: singleowatonnamom on 10/14/09 So happy to see private enterprise fulfilling a need for the community. It is too bad that I do not have a dog to take advantage of the new park. I will make sure to let my dog-owning friends know of it. By: Brian_Sanburn on 10/15/09 I certainly hope this works out well for all concerned. It will be nice to see a non-governmental undertaking be successful, again demonstrating how the free market can and does anticipate and fulfill needs better than government. Carpe diem! By: secretsquirrel on 10/15/09 Private industry works. You will probably see me out there with my pedigreed Long-Haired Netherlandic Squirrel Hounds. By: ksanh68 on 10/15/09 Commune bonum, consensu omnium By: ridiculous on 10/15/09 YAY!! By: nuthatch on 10/15/09 What a great thing for Owatonna. I was surprised at how reasonable their prices are. I remember someone mentioning on this opinion page that private run dog parks start at $395 a year...Boy were they way off..Thanks to the Johnsons for keeping their prices affordable for everyone!! By: ksanh68 on 10/15/09 Must be referring to me, except I didn't state a fee starting at, I only listed examples of what some other private parks charge. But, I really like your "keeping their prices affordable for everyone!!" comment. $150 per year for your dog to run off a leash with other dogs might not in fact fit into everyones budget. Commune bonum - The common good Consensu omnium - By the agreement of all So it goes. By: OwatonnaVictims on 10/15/09 What a Great Idea! Now if someone in Owatonna would put a fence around "one of them retention ponds" for Dog Swimming. s By: cialunatic on 10/17/09 Well ac may end up being right. Faribault just opened a city dog park. All the money was donated to make a property that the city already owned presentable but it will have to be maintained. Since they had an aquatic center and we had to have one I'm sure there will be those that say why can't we have a city dog park. More will be revealed. By: nuthatch on 10/17/09 ksanh68--$150.00 breaks down to $12.50 a month or $.41 cents a day.....You can't even go to one movie for $12.50 (incl. popcorn).. If you own a dog....you know how expensive everything is...in comparison...this is cheap. I also understand there are people who take their dogs to a doggy daycare once a week to socialize their dogs and that costs $15.00 a day!!!!!!! I think the dog park is MORE than reasonable!!!! By: ksanh68 on 10/17/09 nuthatch, happy that some are willing to payout $15/day for a doggy daycare and socializing visit. Maybe the annual private dog park cost should be raised even more? Then it will guarantee that its clientele will be of the proper economic and social strata for co-mingling of dogs. Love the math also, can't argue with the numbers but lets take it to the next level. If my dog lives ten more years it'll cost my family $1,500 so spike can run without a leash and socialize with other dogs here in Owatonna. I've given spike the option, dog park or healthcare (vet bills). He's leaning towards healthcare. I'm leaning towards a larger flat screen TV or just holding the funds in reserve to handle the increased taxes I'll be paying to cover the city's past, ongoing and future screwups. Time will tell. By: nuthatch on 10/18/09 Everyone, including your dog, needs healthcare. Does that mean you stop living...no more eating out, buying beer, going to the movies, going to a friends to play some poker?? You may spend money on healthcare for your dog but does that mean fido never leaves the house again. He doesn't deserve time with his friends??? I'd hate to be your dog...or do you even own a dog??? By: ksanh68 on 10/19/09 Slow day, so I'll play. Agreed, people and our pets need healthcare. But unfortunately for Spike, her gambling losses and the treatment costs for a drinking problem makes it very difficult for our family budget to absorb the additional cost of her wanting a membership in a private club, just so she can associate with Owatonna's upper crust. It all becomes a matter of prioritizing where our hard earned money is spent. I'm thinking that she'll be fine going for a little car ride to socialize in Faribault. She is a pure bred but seems to have more fun with a plebeian crowd. She can be such a rowdy bitch sometimes. By: budlight on 10/29/09 ksanh68, sounds like you would rather suport opec by buying more costly gas rather than suport your local comunity ? it is a free world to do as you wish but if you want to go to faribault to let the little gambler gamble with the other unregulated possibly sick dogs you should consider the move? just a thought.hope she gets over the adictions. By: nuthatch on 10/29/09 I heard through a friend that there are already at least 25 familys signed up to join the dog park. They aren't whining anout the price and obvisiously feel it's worth it. You either want the best for your companion or you don't. Theres an Indian restaurant in town that I don't like and won't go back to but that the great thing about freedom. P.s. we are not an upper crust group. Just people who like to visit their neighbors and friends in an area that serves two purposes
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