Dog Park at Harlan Fisher Park Project

Last Content Update: Friday, November 21, 2025

Excellence in Landscape Design: Harlan Fisher Dog Park

Victor Parks and Recreation was honored with the Excellence in Landscape Design Award from the Genesee Valley Recreation and Park Society for the Dog Park at Harlan Fisher Park.

This award recognizes the thoughtful planning, community input, and environmentally conscious design that went into creating a space where dogs and their owners can safely enjoy the outdoors together. The park features separate areas for small and large dogs, agility and play elements, pet-friendly amenities, an underground drainage system, and over 400 native plants and trees that help it blend naturally into the surrounding woodland. Our Parks and Recreation team built the project in-house with support from the Citizens' Advisory Committee, Bayer Landscape Architecture, Van Bortel Subaru, and engaged community members. It stands as a true example of local collaboration and a shared vision.

As we've said from the start: "This is not your typical dog park." Come visit and see why.

DOG PARK AT HARLAN FISHER PARK

The Dog Park at Harlan Fisher Park was deemed a priority project in the 2019 Parks and Recreation Master Plan update. Funding was allocated in the 2021 and 2022 budgets for the public outreach and design phases of the proposed dog park. The Town retained Bayer Landscape Architecture of Honeoye Falls, New York as its lead consultant to assist the Department and the Citizens’ Advisory Committee in the process.

Public outreach included two community open house style meetings in July and December of 2021. The project team also gathered input from residents during a variety of community-wide special events in the summer and fall of that year. Preliminary design was completed in the spring of 2022 and the project was presented to the Town Board in late July. Based on the information gathered from these meetings, the plans for the dog park were refined and cost estimates were assigned to specific phases of the project including the Dog Park Area (Phase 1), the Park Entrance and Parking Area (Phase 2), and the Main Park Enhancements (Phase 3).

The Dog Park Area will have small and large dog areas, a double-gated entry with a card swipe / fob or keypad system, a 6’ foot high fence, dog wash station, waste stations, dog play elements, benches and signage. The Park Entrance / Parking Area and other Park Enhancements will include a redesigned entrance road and parking area with new pavement, pathways, landscaping, site furniture including picnic tables and seating. Construction of the Dog Park at Harlan Fisher Park will be funded through the Capital Parks Trust Fund and will involve a nominal annual fee for residents to utilize.

Construction on the “new” Dog Park is anticipated to begin in the winter of 2022 with a late fall 2023 opening. For more information, please contact Brian Emelson, CPRE, Director of Parks and Recreation.

Final Presentation to Town Board on July 25, 2022 (this is a large PDF file)