Advocates for a public off-leash dog park in Roanoke appear to have abandoned their push for a dedicated corner of Fishburn Park and are instead looking at Highland Park.

NewVa Connects, a young professionals networking and advocacy group, announced in the fall it intended to raise $30,000 to fence in an acre for dogs at Fishburn Park in Southwest Roanoke.

The group has raised about $11,000 toward that goal, said NewVa Connects spokeswoman Lauren Ellerman.

But on Wednesday, NewVa Connect's Dog Park Committee sent out an e-mail saying that, "The Fishburn Park location no longer looks like the ideal place for our park."

The e-mail continues: "So what is the ideal location? Highland Park in Old Southwest."

Ellerman said by phone that NewVa Connects was invited by Old Southwest Inc.'s board of directors to consider Highland Park for its site. It will present plans at an open neighborhood meeting in Old Southwest at 7 tonight.

Placing an off-leash dog park in Highland Park would require clearing several hurdles, including approval from the city Architectural Review Board to build the fence.

"What was specified originally was black vinyl chain link fence, and the ARB's had some heartburn about that," said Steve Buschor, director of Roanoke's parks and recreation department. "They want the group to justify their application and the need for the fence."

Buschor said the spot being considered is a 1-acre section that is located west of the park's stage. It's easily accessible from a nearby parking lot, but cannot be seen from any of the neighborhood houses or surrounding streets, he said.

Ellerman said the dog park committee members decided to change their target site after hearing that the Grandin Court Neighborhood Association had concerns about the Fishburn Park location, including the visibility of the fence from nearby houses and interference with use of the park.

"They made it clear that if we continued to try to raise money for the half acre where the chestnut trees are, they would oppose it," Ellerman said.

Ellerman said that neighborhood group agreed to let the dog park go in one portion of the park, but that it was only a third of an acre -- too small for real consideration.

At that point, NewVa Connects started to reconsider its plans.

"We don't have the time or desire to spend $30,000 trying to go to a location where we're not wanted," Ellerman said.

At about the same time, however, NewVa Connects was contacted by Old Southwest Inc.'s board of directors regarding the possibility of putting the dog park in Highland Park.

"We're excited that is a possibility," said Marla Robertson, an Old Southwest Inc. board member. "If it was us, we'd say yes right now ... [but] it's their project, and we want to tread lightly and make sure everything goes smoothly before we formally announce it."

On the Net: www.roanokedogpark.com