If an $80,000 line item survives the city's budget process, South Side dogs may have a fenced play space by next spring.

"It is very preliminary," said Ken Wolfe, chief of staff for Councilman Bruce Kraus. "But we're optimistic. Hopefully it will survive the budget process. If it does, [the Parks Department] is looking to move on this."

The dog park would cost about $240,000 but the $80,000 allocation would pay for the fence -- the biggest hurdle, he said. With a fence in place, the park at least could open; finer points such as landscaping could be added as money is raised.

A third of the cost would be absorbed by the city's Public Works and another third would have to be raised, he said.

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