Queen Creek relocating dog park

With a new police headquarters on the horizon, Queen Creek’s dog park will be finding a new home at Founders Park.

The Queen Creek Town Council at its Wednesday meeting will 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.

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.

As part of its consent agenda, the council will vote on a motion for a $2.3 million budget for the new dog park and $600,000 for new playground equipment. The motion also includes a $173,424 design contract with Gavan & Barker Inc. for the dog park. All items on the consent agenda are decided through one motion and vote.

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 additional 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.

The Queen Creek Town Council meeting starts at 6:30 p.m., Feb. 5 at Community Chambers, 20727 E. Civic Parkway.

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