Belgrade board OKs designation of Henson Park for dog-park development; community pledges $40,000 toward memorial feature

The Belgrade Regional Parks, Trails and Recreation District Board voted to recommend that a portion of Henson Park be developed as a dog park, and community members at the meeting offered funding and volunteer support to help build it.

The recommendation covers designating Henson Park — located at the end of Jackrabbit on Bridal Lane — to include a contained dog-park area, not renaming the park itself. "The first step is to designate Henson Park as a dog park," Steve Klotz, director, said during the board discussion. The motion to recommend development was made and then approved by the board with an affirmative voice vote.

The recommendation came after public comments from residents and business owners who asked that a feature inside the park be dedicated in memory of Brandy Crawford, a local veterinary technician and dog-advocate who died in 2023. William Feniger, who identified himself as living in Bridger Hills Drive and speaking on Crawford’s behalf, said, "We have $40,000 we've raised already that we are committing to Belgrade." Other speakers — Troy Butler, Gordon Hardaway of Hardaway Vet Hospital, and Ken Williams of Williams Plumbing — described Crawford's longtime work with animals and urged the board to support a memorial component.

Nut graf: The board's action advances the community-driven push for an off-leash amenity on Belgrade's north side while clarifying that the board is only designating a portion of Henson Park for a dog park. Any specific layout, size and budget will move through the district's capital improvement process and city/county budgeting.

Board and staff described the next steps: preliminary site planning, inclusion in the district capital improvement program (CIP) ranking system, and later budget consideration. Klotz said the CIP ranking process will consider public input and partnership contributions when deciding timing and budget. He emphasized that the designation does not set a final footprint: "A dog park will be contained within Henson," he said.

Speakers at the meeting emphasized volunteer and donor support. Feniger and other supporters offered labor and in‑kind services (grading, fencing, construction discounts) in addition to the pledged funds. Speakers said the dog-park feature would be a part of a multi-use design for the roughly 2.7-acre Henson Park (net usable area noted as a little over 2.2 acres due to storm drains).

Board action and naming: The board voted to recommend development of the dog-park area; members asked whether an official naming decision was required. Staff clarified that naming a component or feature can be handled without renaming the entire park; the public presenters said they would continue fundraising and coordination with city staff if the board moved the project forward.

Ending: The board did not set a construction timetable; site planning and CIP ranking will determine schedule and costs. Supporters said they would continue fundraising and coordinate volunteer support if the city proceeds with preliminary design and budgeting.