SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane County’s popular Patricia Simonet Laughing Dog Park faces closure as budget cuts from the county’s $900 million spending plan take effect.
The county decided to end its lease with the Department of Transportation for the dog park near the state line, which costs $32,000 annually. The decision stems from a $20 million budget shortfall that forced all departments to cut 7 percent of expenses.
“It’s great for the dogs to socialize. It really is very important for them,” said Phyllis Temple, a regular visitor to the park.
Dog park regular Mikaela Hiatt expressed disappointment about the potential loss.
“Definitely disappointed. We come here very frequently, and there is a pretty big community within the ballpark of regulars, especially in the morning times when we come,” Hiatt said.
However, community advocacy may have sparked renewed discussions. Signs posted throughout the facility encourage visitors to contact county officials about keeping the dog park operational.
County officials confirmed they are exploring options to maintain the facility, including negotiations with the Department of Transportation for a new agreement and discussions with SCRAPS about covering operational costs.
The current lease expires April 21. The Department of Transportation has no plans to sell the property and is evaluating potential uses for the land.
“They didn’t realize how much the dog park meant to people, so it sounded like they were in talks of keeping it running,” Hiatt said.
The Parks Department considered other cost-cutting measures including changes to the aquatics program and shortening the parks season before settling on the dog park closure.
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