A dog park for Yorkville? Mayor says he is ‘intrigued by the idea’ as proposed by local couple

YORKVILLE – When Eric and Jewel McRoberts moved to Yorkville a couple of years ago, they were seeking good schools for their family and some wide open spaces.

The couple said they love living in Yorkville and find that there really is just one thing missing: a dog park.

Their dog, Onyx, a Great Dane, needs plenty of room to stretch his legs, and a dog park would be the ideal place, the couple said.

Eric McRoberts spoke before the Yorkville City Council on March 28 and proposed that the city create a dog park for use by residents and their canine friends. “We are looking for ways to enhance and be part of our community,” McRoberts told the council.

The proposal from McRoberts immediately produced a positive reaction from Mayor John Purcell. “I’m intrigued by the idea,” he said directly to McRoberts. “I’m open to the conversation.”

Purcell immediately introduced McRoberts to Yorkville Parks and Recreation Director Tim Evans to follow up on the idea.

After the meeting, the McRoberts couple said that ideally a dog park should be a fenced-in area and include a shelter so the park could be used all year long.

There are two dedicated dog parks in the area, both covering many acres. One is operated by the Fox Valley Park District at the Stuart Sports Complex at Route 30 and Griffin Drive in Montgomery. The other is operated by the village of Oswego and is next to its Public Works Facility at 100 Theodore Drive.

To enter the Oswego Happy Tails Dog Park, dog owners first must register, pay an annual fee and receive a key card.