PARK PACT UNLEASHES CRITICISM : SOME WANT DOG-FOOD FIRM TO PAY FULL COST.

Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer

The Los Angeles City Council voted 8-4 Tuesday to allow a pet food firm to become the official sponsor of a Sepulveda Basin off-leash dog park, despite criticism that the company isn't footing the entire bill.

Councilwoman Laura Chick said the park will be the largest of its kind in the city and the first north of Mulholland Drive.

In return for a $50,000 contribution, the Friskies PetCare Co. will get to post a sign identifying its Alpo dog food brand as the sponsor. But with the cost of developing the park at $250,000, some City Council members argued that Friskies should pay more.

Representatives of Friskies did not return calls for comment.

The park is set to open in November on Victory Boulevard near White Oak Avenue. The $250,000 project includes construction of an access road and a parking lot for the park. The cost also includes the installation of fencing, turf and an irrigation system to the undeveloped property.

The agreement also gives Friskies an exclusive right to film dog food commercials at the facility for six years.

Supporters of the deal said the Friskies agreement could be a model for getting the private sector to help the financially troubled city provide recreation facilities.

``The park is there already,'' said Councilman Joel Wachs. ``It's almost finished and it's either a matter of we're going to take this $50,000 or we're going to end up with a park without the $50,000. It seems foolhardy now to have that argument.''

Wachs said the park itself is justified because the city's 300,000 licensed dog owners have just as much of a need for recreation facilities as golfers, swimmers and other groups.