Pet Owners Seek Injunction To Stop Construction Of Schuylkill River Parks Connector Bridge
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - An attorney hired by pet owners is seeking an injunction to stop construction of a pedestrian bridge at the Locust Street opening of Schuylkill Banks until they fix plans for their dog park. The project is scheduled to start Tuesday.
The existing dog run will be closed during the construction of the connector bridge over CSX rail tracks.
Attorney Damon Roberts says pet owners don't like the temporary dog park, and park users are against taking down more than two dozen mature shade trees to make way for construction equipment.
"We're not against construction, but it has to be adequately planned," Roberts said.
Mark Focht, Parks and Recreation 1st Deputy Commissioner, says while the temporary dog area will be smaller than the current space, the new dog run will be larger, and it will have more amenities, including two dog drinking fountains.
"They'll have two new surfaces, artificial dog turf and pavers. It'll be richly planted," Focht said.
Focht also says the expansion will improve the horticultural quality and diversity in the park. He says they will plant 35 new trees, 318 shrubs and over 1,800 perennials.
The project is funded with federal stimulus money and is expected to be completed by the fall of 2012.
Reported by Steve Tawa, KYW Newsradio
