Queen Creek council approves relocation of dog park

The Queen Creek Town Council has approved relocating the town’s dog park to Founders’ Park.

At its Wednesday meeting, the council voted 6-1 to establish budgets totaling more than $2.9 million for the dog park relocation, as well as replacement playground equipment for Founders’ Park, 22407 S. Ellsworth Road. Council Member Travis Padilla voted against the measure.

The item was part of the council’s consent agenda in which all items are decided in one motion and vote unless a council member or staff member pulls an item out for separate consideration. Padilla called for the item to be pulled for a separate vote.

Vice Mayor Leah Martineau, who early in her first term had opposed the town’s plans to build new parks, supported the Founders’ Park measure and said there are issues at the park that need to be fixed.

The council’s action has created a $2.3 million budget for the new dog park and a $600,000 budget for new playground equipment. The motion also included a $173,424 design contract with Gavan & Barker Inc. for the dog park.

The current Pocket Park for Pups is south of town hall at 22526 S. Ellsworth Road.

The town plans to build a new standalone Queen Creek Police Department headquarters and a parking structure that will be roughly bordered by Ellsworth Loop Road, Ellsworth Road, the Municipal Services Building and the Community Chambers.

“With the new structures being placed in this area, it has become apparent that the town will have to relocate both the Pocket Park for Pups and the recycling center,” according to a council staff report.

The site of a new recycling center has yet to be established.

The proposed dog park at Founders’ Park will have an additional large-dog and small-dog section so the entire play area is not shut down during annual summer maintenance. The park will also have more benches, shade structures, and possibly more parking at the northeast corner off Aldecoa Road.

Construction of the dog park will be consolidated with work to replace existing playground equipment at Founders’ Park.

“The existing playground was constructed in 2002 and is far beyond its useful life. In 2024 alone, repair costs for the playground exceeded $29,000 and downtime for the playground at multiple intervals through the year were up to 16 weeks,” the report stated.

The playground replacement will address Americans with Disabilities Act issues and deal with drainage problems, vandalized equipment and the “need for space and age separation for proper safety of children in different age groups,” the report continued.

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