The City of Fairfield decided to add a new signature park that would serve as a gathering space for the community. We were hired to assist with the development of this 7-acre municipal dog park. Furfield Dog Park is located near the Great Miami River in southwest Ohio, directly over the most plentiful aquifer in the eastern United States. There is an existing groundwater testing site on the property and protecting groundwater was a key goal with this project. Stormwater drainage for this project utilized drywells to collect runoff and allow it to permeate through the sand and gravel strata below the site. A well was drilled to fill the pond and water the grass. Water from the pond overflows to a vegetated wetland constructed to help filter the water prior to it entering the dry wells.

Unique features of the park include an exposed aggregate section of a brook with boulders and decorative rock, dog paws stamped in concrete, a large gravel dog paw in the park center, limestone around the pond with a dock for dogs to jump into the water, repurposed fire hydrant turned into a dog wash station, and, of course, many stations with mutt mitts for owners to pick up after their dog. Other features that were added include a shade structure to not only provide respite from the sun but also to add a vertical element to the park, a prefabricated restroom that was aesthetically pleasing, and a well-house building that was built to be hidden by the existing safety berm around the adjacent lake.