DB Council Vote Gives Dog Park New Leash on Life

Diamond Bar plans to move ahead with its long-awaited dog park.

The City Council Tuesday night voted 4-0 to award a $103,941 bid to Torres Construction, Inc to build an Americans with Disabilities Act compliant walkway connecting Pantera Park to a neighboring area slated for small and large dogs to socialize.

Councilwoman Carol Herrera was absent.

Bob Rose, director of community services, wrote in the staff report that the award of the bid would enable the contractor to start construction by late September.

“The contract allows 30 days to complete the work, so it should be completed by early November, 2012, weather permitting,” he wrote in the report to council.

The contract with Torres marks the second one the city has hired to do work on the dog park.  On June 5, the council awarded a contract to Walnut-based Kornx Inc. but after the company failed to get the bonding required to execute the agreement, the project had to back out to bid.

The delayed awarding of the contract has added to the cost, according to city officials. The recent issue with the contract hasn’t been the only problem project managers have faced.  In May, city officials found out they could not lower the level of a slope where planners intend to construct the connecting walkway.

As a result, the city needed to find a contractor to build an 8-foot-wide walkway with handrails, an addition that nearly doubled the cost of the project, according to staff.