Mission Viejo Dog Park: Shrub Irrigation Approved for Phase 2

About $200,000 for irrigation for shrubs around the future Mission Viejo dog park was approved Monday night, leading the way for volunteers to install necessary plumbing. This decision brings the total cost of construction on the dog park to over $1 million.

Volunteer efforts including the YMCA, the National Charity League and two boy scout projects will help provide manpower to install irrigation lines and heads at the Felipe Road park being built south of Gilleran Park, Assistant City Manager Keith Rattay said.

The irrigation will impact shrubs fenced off from the main dog park turf and had been intended for a future phase of the park. But with the volunteer support lined up, it made sense to move forward sooner than expected, he said.

Mayor Rhonda Reardon, who opposes the future dog park as planned, voted against the irrigation measure. But she said now is the right time to install the irrigation.

"When's it going to cost less, right?" she asked.

Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht, who also opposes this dog park, said the irrigation measure was "deceptive to the public" because it was approved as a change order, rather than on the original contract bid.

"I'm so upset with this," she said.

Councilman Dave Leckness favors the irrigation and the dog park.

"If we do wait, it's very likely that it's going to be more—it's going to be more money," he said. "We're not in a financial crunch, we've got this extra money, we've always planned to do phase two."

Councilman Frank Ury also registered his support.

"You don't put in the final plumbing after you've built the house," he said. "The time is now. Let's move forward."

Grading on the dog park has been completed. The site is expected to open to the public in early 2014 once new grass has had time to mature.