Three Rivers Park District has contracted for a $100,000 restroom at its newest dog park at Fish Lake Park.
Park commissioners accepted a bid of $98,750 to build a prefabricated concrete restroom in the 6.7-acre fenced dog park, which opened over the summer in Maple Grove. With a 10 percent contingency, the total budget for the restroom is about $108,000.
The facility will have men's and women's toilets, lights, water, a drinking fountain and heat.
Two construction companies submitted bids of more than $160,000. The low bid, which was selected, was from Olympic Construction Services Co. in Eagan. It will begin construction in the spring and have the building open by the end of July.
"Anywhere you invite the public, we try to accommodate the needs," said Mike Horn, senior manager of landscape architecture for Three Rivers.
At six other off-leash dog areas, Three Rivers has vault toilets without water and sewer connections. Those cost about $50,000 each, Horn said. At Fish Lake, the city of Maple Grove required Three Rivers to connect the restroom to city water and sewer, and that raised the cost.
Three Rivers considered using the existing restrooms at the park pavilion but decided the distance was too far from the dog area, said district spokesman Jason McGrew-King. "A busy section of trail runs past the Fish Lake off-leash area, so we anticipate that trail users will find it convenient."
Three Rivers requires dog owners to purchase a daily pass for $5 or an annual pass for $35 to use its dog parks. Daily passes are available at pay boxes at the site. Call 763-559-9000 or go to www.threeriversparks.org/activities/dog-off-leash.aspx .
