Crafton commissioners review dog-park cost estimates after $25,000 appears in draft budget
Summary
Commissioners noted a $25,000 line item in the draft 2026 borough budget for a proposed dog park and an estimated $65,000 cost for full turnkey construction, discussed staging and volunteer fundraising, and did not take a final vote.
Commissioners discussed a proposed dog park after noting a $25,000 line in the borough's draft budget and an estimated $65,000 cost for full turnkey construction. Staff and members described options for staging the project and supplementing the draft allocation with volunteer, grant or matching funds.
A staff member explained the $65,000 figure as the turnkey cost for a fully built dog park including amenities; he added that using in-house labor and volunteers could bring down the borough cash needed. "It's a lot of money. But, you bring in in house talent ... that brings 65 that, you know, part of it, if you look at it, there's a beautiful pavilion. Maybe that doesn't have to be phase 1," the staff member said.
Commission members discussed creating a "friends of the dog park" volunteer group to do fundraising or a Kickstarter-style match so $25,000 from the borough could be leveraged. No formal motion to obligate the borough budget was taken; commissioners discussed whether to recommend council keep the item in the draft budget as a priority for 2026, conditional on not cutting mission-critical services.
One commissioner characterized the issue as part of a larger budget conversation and suggested the commission prepare a brief recommendation for council if it wishes to pursue funding. Council approval would still be required to spend any funds earmarked in the draft budget.
