LANDRUM – Stone Soup Restaurant owner Suzanne Strickland will be seeking private funding for her proposed dog park to be located on restaurant property at 1522 E. Rutherford St. in Landrum.

Strickland went before the City of Landrum during their council meeting in August for support from the city to build a dog park on her property. The City of Landrum tabled the discussion of the dog park during their council meeting after hearing complaints from neighbors, residents of Landrum and Spartanburg attorney Andrew Poliakoff.

“The dog park would add to the quality of life for residents, visitors and their pets,” Strickland said in her initial proposal to city council members in July. “No other cities or towns in the area offer this and it would be a big draw to animal lovers.”

The dog park would be approximately 28,000 square feet wide, or one-half acre, on her residential property west of Stone Soup. A private, six-foot fence and donations of agility equipment and picnic tables are needed for the park. In addition, a 10-foot buffer must exist between her and her neighbors. Strickland said the park would be divided into areas designated for smaller and larger dogs.

“I’ll have it be private so the city won’t be involved,” Strickland explained. “There will be no charge to use it. There will be guidelines, however. I’d like to get it done before the end of the year.”

Beginning in October, Stone Soup will hold fundraisers for the park. Landrum’s recent comprehensive plan for the next 10 years included a dog park for the city, according to Landrum Mayor Robert Briggs.

“It sounds like she is going to go on her own,” Briggs said. “The property is zoned commercial, so she’s allowed to do that in that area.”

Strickland said a benefit of the dog park would be more money in hospitality tax from the restaurant generated by people with dogs coming to the restaurant. She said she hopes to get the park open in early 2017 as funds become available. Her first fundraising event will be held at Stone Soup Restaurant on October 2 from 5 to 7 p.m.