C-W Port Commission to consider dog park agreement with DOGPAW

A hay field located east of Grove Field Airport could become the next local dog park to serve the Camas-Washougal area. Port of Camas-Washougal Commissioners are expected to vote on a maintenance agreement with Dog Owners Group for Park Access in Washington in mid-July or August. The agreement, being developed by the port's attorney, Carolyn Lake, would involve a hold harmless clause regarding the use of approximately seven acres near the airport for five years. There would be an option to maintain the land as an off-leash area for another five years. A "minimal fee," with conditions and a cancellation portion, would be part of the agreement, according to Port Executive Director David Ripp. He said it has not been determined how much notice would be necessary to terminate the agreement. Grove Field is located at 632 N.E. 267th Ave., in Fern Prairie, five miles north of Camas. Mark Watson, a DOGPAW board member in charge of park maintenance and development, described the proposed off leash area as a very nice parcel that is easily accessible and has trees for shade. He said the goal would be to have the park by Grove Field ready for use by the end of this year. DOGPAW, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, will have an event in July at the Donald and Angeline Stevenson Off Leash Area, in Washougal, to raise money for a new park. It has not been scheduled. Watson said it would cost approximately $10,000 to convert the hay field by the airport into an off-leash dog park. Some of the fencing from the Washougal site could be reused at a new site. That dog park, located near Bi-Mart, at 3003 Addy St., will close Nov. 1. The 15.97 acres, owned by East Village Investors LLC, is being marketed for sale or lease. The current dog park and the land that the Bi-Mart store is located on are zoned by the city as Town Center East Village. The district is envisioned to have a mixture of higher density housing and retail contained within low-rise buildings. Donations are also accepted for dog park in East Vancouver Meanwhile, the cost of developing an off-leash area by the English Pit, in East Vancouver, has increased. The 10.8 acres of Clark County-owned land is located west of the Humane Society for Southwest Washington and south of the Harmony Sports Complex, at Northeast 192nd Avenue and Ninth Street. Watson had previously said DOGPAW needed to raise $75,000 to clear the land and add fencing and a double-gated entry. That amount is now $150,000, due to environmental and stormwater regulations for parking lots. To donate to DOGPAW, contact Watson at 896-4341 or mwatson76@yahoo.com.

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