ERIE — Residents (with two and four legs) celebrated the groundbreaking this weekend for The Boneyard at Reliance Park.
The event, hosted by The Dog Park Citizen’s Committee, included giveaways, dog activities such as a game of “Lure Chase” and a “Love Your Pup” photo shoot. All proceeds will benefit the park.
Residents have pushed for an off-leash dog park through the town’s annual surveys for years, which urged Mayor Tina Harris to search for initial funding for the project.
The town’s first dog park is slated to take up 8 to 9 acres at the park just north of downtown on Briggs Street. The park will be larger than Lafayette’s Great Bark Dog Park, which occupies more than 6 acres and remains a popular attraction for many Erie dog owners.
The plan for the park includes an open play field, divided sections for large and small dogs, a training area, play logs and boulders.
There will also be owner amenities such as water fountains, covered benches and doggie bags available throughout the park.
In 2014, Erie trustees allocated $15,000 for floor repairs to the park and to expand the parking lot in anticipation of the new dog park.
During a town meeting last year, Parks and Recreation Director Farrell Buller asked the Board of Trustees to allocate up to $150,000 — the remainder needed to build the park — to cover any costs not collected through fundraising efforts.
“It will be more enticing for corporate sponsors if the park is being funded either way, with or without them,” Buller said. “It’s security for them to know that the park is happening no matter what.”
