BEDFORD — The Bedford dog park, still a dream in the minds of its proponents, is in need of volunteers to help make it a reality.

Sandy LaMontagne, who chairs Friends of Bedford Canine Corner, the nonprofit behind the park, said she hopes to be open by the summer of 2013.

For now the group is seeking hands, minds and funds, LaMontagne said. “We are looking for volunteers now to help with marketing, funding, community awareness, all types of promotion, and we've started doing that now.”

Her group recently presented a draft agreement to the Bedford Town Council, detailing what it would be accountable for and what the town's responsilibilities would be.

“We're going to raise the money, we're going to find the contractors, the suppliers, the vendors, we're going to arrange for them, but the final authority has to come from the town,” LaMontagne said.

The group would also handle the maintenance of the park, and raise money for a three-year contingency to ensure that this would not fall on the town.

The draft is currently under review by the Town Council's leadership.

Councilor Jim Scanlon, a member of the canine group and a long-time supporter of the idea, said Bedford has 16,000 taxpayers and between 3,600 and 3,700 dogs.

“Dog parks have become very socially acceptable in the last decade or so,” he said. “Most of the major cities have them and they are a meeting place for people with their animals.”

The proposed location for the park is on Nashua Road across from the Little League complex. It would be a grassy, fenced-in area about 80 feet by 200 feet. Some trees would be cleared to allow the grass to get sunlight. Water bubblers for dogs and humans are in the plans, and Friends of Bedford Canine Corner hopes to install picnic benches.

Scanlon said being near the sports fields and less than half a mile from Route 101 is the right spot in many ways. “In the last year we've gone before council several different times and the council voted that that spot of land they'd chosen was appropriate.”

Recent negotiations come after more than five years of work. LaMontagne said the group is trying to raise $70,000 for both maintenance and construction, as well as the contingency plan.

“A dog park is really a great community social gathering place,” LaMontagne said. “While a dog park is for dogs to play, it is also for the owners of the dogs to socialize and meet and get together. It's really great for the owners as well as the dogs.”

To get involved visit the group's website at bedfordcaninecorner.org.