GLADSTONE — Last October, the Gladstone City Council authorized an agreement with firm Vireo for the planning and design of an offleash dog park. On Saturday, Aug. 24, three members of Vireo’s team showed dog lovers the planned dog park during the annual Dunkin’ Dogs event at the community center pool.

Currently, North Kansas City’s Waggin’ Trail Dog Park is the closest dog park to Gladstone at about 6 miles away.

Landscape designers Madelyn Onofrio and Riley Stueber along with Steve Rhoades, landscape architect and director of business development at Vireo, shared the dog park is being planned at the intersection of Northeast 76th Street and Northeast Antioch Road, close to the Gladstone Animal Shelter and part of the Happy Rock Park complex. The park is will be constructed in partnership with the city of Kansas City.

“We heard the requests for such a park in the city,” Onofrio said of Gladstone.

The roughly 7-acre park in Gladstone will include a small dog area, parking and two large dog areas. Onofrio said the large dog areas will have double-gated entries. Many of the existing trees will be kept, but areas will also be opened up.

Other amenities will include two water fountains, dog waste stations and benches. Construction is set to begin this fall.

“The plan is to see a summer 2025 opening,” Rhoades said. “After the construction, we will have to make sure that the grass has grown well before dogs get on it.”