Million-Dollar Dog Park Contract OK'd

A contractor has been hired, bringing the proposed Mission Viejo dog park one paw print closer to completion.

The City chose GMC Engineering in a 3-2 vote Monday night to complete a variety of jobs in building the Mission Viejo dog park. Mayor Rhonda Reardon and Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht opposed the project.

GMC asked for $888,888 for park work, including site grading, construction of the gravel parking lot, turf, irrigation and fencing. This, along with $67,920 for consulting and $25,000 for contingencies, brings the estimated total cost of the dog park to a little over $981,000.

Another bidder estimated the cost to build the park much lower, but City Attorney Bill Curley said the company "expressly violated state law" with its incomplete bid. 

A location just south of Gilleran Park was approved in January 2011 for a large dog area, a small dog area, a single dog area, a gravel parking lot for 42 vehicles, fencing and turf.

The city had intended for construction to begin in March. But the City Council rejected all contract bids on May 6, requiring another round of bidding. In a previous meeting, city staff estimated it would take 120 working days to complete the project.

Schlicht opposed the dog park, saying it violated the will of the people.

"A majority of our voters don't want a dog park," she said. "And most of the dog park people don't want a million-dollar dog park. We could have had five dog parks for the cost of this one bare-bones park."