MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - It was decided at the Meridian Township Park Commission meeting on April 9 that a fee of $20 would be charged for a key fob that would allow residents to enter the dog park with their dog. It would be an additional $15 to bring in a second dog.

There are two separate dog parks currently under development, one for small dogs at Nancy Moore Park and one for large dogs at Central Park.

To gain entrance to either of them, you will need to purchase a key fob that will allow you inside. According to the Park Commission, this is to help protect from dogs that aren't licensed and avoid having smaller dogs mixing in with larger dogs.

LuAnn Maisner, Director of Parks and Recreation, compared it to playing in a softball league at a park. "If you want to play in a league, you have to pay a fee," she said.

However, the Commission also noted that they aren't trying to exclude people from the parks and they are willing to work with people who may not be able to pay the fee themselves.

The Meridian Township Parks and Recreation Department is working on how to provide a clean water source for the dogs and are also providing agility equipment for them at the dog parks.

The small dog park is currently estimated to be finished by the middle of May, while the large dog park may not be finished until the end of summer since there is still a bit of work to be done, including eliminating some poison ivy in the area.