SPOKANE, Wash. -- Spokane Public Schools voted to put a more than $495 million bond on the November ballot.
The bond money would be used to build new schools and upgrade several facilities. Part of that plan includes building a new middle school at the site of a current dog park on the South Hill.
Residents who live near the South Hill Dog park said this is a great place to bring their dog, so they can run around and meet new friends. The City of Spokane, along with Spokane Public Schools, said it is a great property to put a new middle school on as well.
If approved by voters in November, the school would sit on land currently used as the South Hill Dog Park, next to Mullan Elementary school. Plans said the land would be provided by the city of Spokane. It would also feature "gyms and athletic fields for school and community use.”
Christian said he brings his dog to the South Hill dog park a couple times a day.
"I love how open it is and how there's so much room to walk around and play with your dog," he said.
He said he would rather not see the park become a middle school because this is the nicest one he has found so close to home.
"I'd probably struggle to find another good dog park. The only other one I can think of that's open like this one is close to Spokane Falls," he explained.
Prior to the meeting about the bond measure Wednesday night, a sign and petition were posted at the entrance to the park urging visitors to save the park and attend the meeting. Other dog owners KREM 2 spoke with even suggested keeping the dog park and sprucing it up with more amenities like a water fountain for dogs, and their owners.
The decision to replace the dog park with a new school will still lie with voters in November.