The long-awaited dog park received a boost Tuesday.
The Ripon City Council approved the pact between the Friends of the Ripon Dog Park and the City of Ripon at the monthly session.
Elected leaders vote 4-0 (Councilman Leo Zuber was absent) on the Memorandum of Understanding involving both parties.
“The City will donate the 1.23 acres on Doak Boulevard, east of the animal shelter,” City Administrator Kevin Werner said. “Friends will be in charge of the planning, design, construction and the operation and maintenance of the dog park.”
As for timelines, Councilman Mike Restuccia indicated that’s yet to be determined.
“My understanding is that projects relying on donation will usually take longer,” he said.
He and his colleague Mark Winchell have sat in on several dog park meetings.
“It’s far, far more complicated on projects like the dog park,” Winchell said.
Jaime Fountain and Shelly Moulyn have been behind the dog park efforts for over a year. Restuccia said that others had looked at similar-type projects over the decades but to no avail.
The dog park will be open to the public with the Friends group taking care of the general cleanup while tending to the landscape, and maintaining safe and sanitary conditions, according to the agreement.
The City will provide the necessary insurance to cover both the Friends’ volunteers as well as the day-to-day operations of the park, the MOU said.
Plans of naming of the dog park or signs to recognize the donors will require approval from the council.

To contact reporter Vince Rembulat, e-mail vrembulat@mantecabulletin.com