HOLMES BEACH – The city is now providing Scentral Park dog park updates at the city website, www.holmesbeachfl.org. The online updates can also be accessed using the QR code posted on the dog park gates.
Public Works Director Herb Raybourn provided a dog park update during the Wednesday, Feb. 4, Parks and Beautification Committee meeting.
He said he was still waiting for the roots to take hold for the sod that was planted in a portion of the large dog area in mid-January. He said the cold weather slowed the growing process and once those roots take hold that area would be fertilized with 42-0-0 fertilizer. Later that day, City Commissioner Dan Diggins told The Sun he visited the dog park earlier in the day and when he pulled on the new sod it appeared the roots were taking hold.
Raybourn said the dog park improvement plan originally anticipated an eight-week closure of the recently resodded area, but that timeline may have to be extended depending on how the new sod performs.
Raybourn said the second phase of the ongoing large dog area resodding will be divided into two smaller small subphases. When that happens, the portion of the large dog area that was recently resodded will be reopened and about half of the remaining large dog area will be resodded, leaving approximately 75% of the large dog area available at all times.
Raybourn said an additional bench and concrete pad will be installed in the currently active portion of the large dog area when that area is temporarily closed for resodding.
“When we go to that side, that bench will be installed,” he said.
Raybourn said about half of the small dog area has been resodded and after approximately eight weeks that resodded area will be reopened and the remaining small dog area will be resodded. He said the earliest full opening of the small dog area would be May 8, depending on how the sod takes.
“For the large dog portion of the dog park, we’re currently anticipating a March 13 opening of the new sodding area. Depending on the how the sod takes, that may get pushed back,” he said.
He said July 2 is the earliest anticipated reopening of the completely resodded large dog area
Raybourn said the issue with the drinking hydrants was determined to be a piece of the plunger that is cost-prohibitive to replace, so a timer valve will be installed to prevent the water from flowing longer than needed.
Committee member Mary Lange noted six new palm trees had been planted at the end of the large dog area near the public works department building and the West Manatee Fire Rescue building.
Raybourn said the large dog washing area would be relocated to that end of the park and a new concrete pad will be installed in a manner that helps ensure the water flows and drains in the right direction.
