By Brenna R. Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COVINGTON - Dogs are getting a Christmas present from Kenton County, though their owners will have to foot the bill.

Fiscal Court voted unanimously Tuesday night to give two acres in a county park to the dogs, provided dog park proponents can raise enough money for the construction and maintenance of the pooch park.

If all goes well with the fund-raising effort, Kenton County dogs will be up to snuff with other dogs in the region and even nationally. Dog parks are becoming common.

The park, an enclosed area where dogs can run free without a leash, would be built in Pioneer Park on Ky. 17 in Covington.

The group Friends of Kenton Paw Park needs to raise $44,000 to cover construction and four years of maintenance. Villa Hills resident Tom Biedenharn, who has led the park effort, said he hopes to have construction started by April 1.

Though the county is providing the land for the park, the project will come "at no cost to the county," said Deputy Judge-executive Scott Kimmich.

Pioneer Park is perfect for the park because of its central location, Biedenharn said. And a dog park will complement the already developed park.

"What other area in any park can be and will be used 12 months out of the year?" Biedenharn said. "What better use of the park could you ask for the people?"

The 13-member paw park committee originally estimated construction to be $67,230 but later reduced that figure to $19,953. They estimate the park's annual maintenance costs to be $5,820.

Biedenharn said he's already gotten commitments from two businesses for donations to the park. And with an estimated 50,000 dog owners in Kenton County, he said he hopes to raise the money by this spring.

Biedenharn began trying to get a dog park in Kenton County after he visited one in Sarasota, Fla., with a friend last year.

"The dogs absolutely love them," he said. "It's just amazing."

And the parks bring out the best in people, too, he said.

"It's so much different than other areas in a park where people don't talk to each other," he said. "In a dog park it's amazing, all the people get together and talk about their dogs."

The Kenton park would join more than 600 dog parks nationwide, including two in Greater Cincinnati. West Chester Township opened its "Wiggly Field" dog park in the Voice of America Park on Oct. 1 and Cincinnati's Mount Airy Forest also features a popular dog park.

Last month, Fort Thomas in neighboring Campbell County started clearing a two-acre hillside behind Highland Hills Park for an $18,000 to $20,000 dog park. Boone County is considering a dog park in England-Idlewild Park in Burlington.

Where to send tax-deductible gifts:

Friends of Kenton Paw Park

c/o Kenton County Treasurer

203 Court St.

P.O. Box 792

Covington, KY 41012

More information:

Call Tom Biedenharn at (859) 341-4455 or e-mail the dog park committee at dogspaw2004@yahoo.com

---

E-mail bkelly@enquirer.com