Mayor Tim Keller and the Parks & Recreation Department (PRD) have recently inaugurated seven new dog parks in Albuquerque, providing more recreational opportunities for the city's residents and their canine companions. The initiative aims to utilize unused or underutilized spaces within existing parks and City-owned lands.
Mayor Keller emphasized the importance of these new dog parks, stating, “As our city continues to grow and evolve, we remain committed to building quality-of-life projects for folks from all parts of town and their four-legged friends.” The new "mini" dog parks are situated at various locations, including Bel-Air Park, Bennie Hargrove Park, Chantilly Park, Manzano Mesa Park, Montgomery Park, Sandia Vista Park, and West Mesa Aquatic Center.
PRD Director Dave Simon highlighted the innovative approach taken with these projects, stating, “We have been creative and resourceful with these projects. This batch of smaller, less costly projects make dog parks accessible to more neighborhoods around the City.” The total cost for the first seven "mini dog parks" was $511,000, averaging about $73,000 per dog park.
Funding for the dog park projects was allocated from the City’s FY23 budget, with $2 million dedicated to the initiative. Additionally, PRD is planning to introduce more projects in the future, including dog parks at Heritage Hills Park, Pat Hurley Park, Phil Chacon Park, Vista del Norte Park, Juan Tabo Hills Park, and Wells Park. The department will also explore other potential sites for future dog parks.
The expansion of dog parks in Albuquerque demonstrates the city's commitment to enhancing the quality of life for residents and their pets. To learn more about the City’s dog parks, interested individuals are encouraged to visit the provided link for additional information.
