Family and Parks Board Seek Way to Replace Beloved ‘Mac’ Dog Sculpture; City to Consult Arts Commission

Joanne Allen, a former Parks Board member, urged the Bothell Parks and Recreation Board to pursue a replacement for a carved wooden dog that once sat at Doug Allen Sports Field and became a local favorite.

The dog, called Mac, was created from a stump by city maintenance worker Mick Mathis and later removed after weather and damage; family members say money previously raised to replace the sculpture — roughly $6,000 — still remains and could be used toward a longer-lasting replacement. Parks and Recreation Director Nick Stroup said staff will bring the item to the city’s arts commission and explore grants and other funding options.

Why it matters: The carved dog served as an informal landmark and play feature for neighborhood children. Replacing it would be a public-art project that intersects volunteer families, city maintenance capacity and funding policy; the Parks Board and family members said they want a solution that will last and…