BOZEMAN — A popular pond at the Gallatin County Regional Park dog park is temporarily closed while crews repair an aerator that stopped working.
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A sign posted near the pond reads, “Out of an abundance of caution, pond closed until further notice.”
The closure has raised questions among dog owners who regularly visit the park, with some people speculating online about what prompted the decision.
Jodi Weldin visits the dog park every day with her dogs, Tom and Brady. She said the pond is one of the main reasons they come to the park.
“We come here every day!” Weldin said.
“They love to play in the pond; that's the number one reason we came over here,” she said.
When Weldin saw the closure sign near Kona’s Dock, she said she wished there was more information about why the pond was closed.
“ I wish I had more information on that,” Weldin said.
Weldin said knowing the reason for the closure would help dog owners determine whether they needed to take additional precautions.
“It’d be better to know the reason so I could make a vet appointment if I needed to,” Weldin said.
Gallatin County Commissioner Ryan Finn said the closure was prompted by an issue with the pond’s aerator.
“Simply an aerator issue,” Finn said.
Fairgrounds employees help oversee and maintain the park. Finn said employees noticed green film beginning to build up in the pond and decided to close it out of caution.
County officials checked with the Gallatin County Health Department and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality to determine whether the buildup posed a safety concern.
“Checked everything with both our Gallatin County Health Department and state DEQ to make sure it wasn't anything dangerous and nope, it's just normal old algae,” Finn said.
Finn said the aerator is now being repaired and the work is expected to be completed by the end of the week.
Until the repairs are finished, dogs are asked to stay out of the pond.
Finn said the dog park is an important recreational space for the community and that keeping it safe is a priority.
“People in Gallatin County love their dogs and love having a place like this to let them run free and have fun,” Finn said.
For Weldin, Tom and Brady, that includes having access to their favorite part of the park.
“This space is super important, and like I said, the pond is their favorite thing,” Weldin said.
