Oswego trustees direct staff to pursue Hunt Club site for Happy Tails dog park

Alejandro, the presenter of the village’s "Unleashing Insights" report, told the Committee of the Whole that the Happy Tails Dog Park was closed Sept. 1 and that village crews salvaged equipment and fencing, saving the village roughly $58,000 in reusable assets. "In all, roughly $58,000 is expected to be saved from the original expenses," Alejandro said.

The presentation summarized swipe-entry data and a resident survey showing the park averaged just over six unique users per day in a 90-day window and that 84% of surveyed participants had a positive view of the site. Alejandro said residents most valued natural qualities, closeness to home and room to run, and that many were willing to travel 10 to 15 minutes for an alternative location.

President Koppman and trustees then weighed three interim options: the police department (about 2 acres), the Hunt Club parcel (roughly 9 acres overall, with 2 acres available for park use), and Venue 1012 (a smaller site with existing parking and nearby restaurants). "My preference is that we move it over to the police department," President Koppman said, citing central location; others preferred Hunt Club for permanence and room to grow.

Trustees and staff discussed costs and constraints. Alejandro said some fencing materials, an access swipe system (estimated reuse value around $22,000) and a $10,000 fountain were salvaged; the fence crossbeams and many posts were reusable. Staff noted a contractor quote to remove fencing had exceeded $10,000, which prompted public-works crews to perform the removal.

Cost estimates for rebuilding varied with scale and amenities. One trustee suggested a $60,000 ballpark for a 2-acre installation; staff and trustees discussed that adding ADA sidewalks, water service and parking could raise costs to $75,000–$80,000, and that a fully sized 3-acre park could reach $90,000–$100,000 after accounting for fencing costs and salvage credits.

Trustees also discussed nonfinancial constraints at the Hunt Club site: public-works staff had planted about 200 nursery trees there, and the DuPage Water Commission plans construction near the village water tower. Staff said some of the parcel is forested and in flood plain, and pledged to map and refine site placement to avoid nursery trees and infrastructure conflicts.

The committee debated whether to keep a paid registration/swipe model (historically $30–$40 per year) or make the park free. Several trustees favored removing a charge to reduce staff overhead and broaden access while preserving a swipe or other method to track vaccinations or usage if necessary. "Swipes are 100% for safety," one trustee said, while others described the swipe more as a recordkeeping option than a user-fee generator.

After discussion the board provided staff with consensus direction to prioritize the Hunt Club location, ask public works to prepare rough site plans and cost estimates, and return with more detailed figures and a site layout at the October 25 budget workshop. Staff cautioned that work by the DuPage Water Commission and flood-plain considerations will affect final placement and costs.

The Committee of the Whole did not take a formal roll-call vote on a motion; instead, members signaled consensus and staff said they would follow up with site-specific estimates and implementation options.

What's next: staff will develop a site plan, refined cost estimates (including ADA work and any required parking), and a timeline for any tree relocation or coordination with DuPage Water Commission work, and report back at the October budget workshop.