Field gone to dogs

A former ball field in Labrador City has gone to the dogs.

Located just behind the Minor Softball Field on Tamarack Drive, the newly-formed dog park boasts a lot of fenced-in space for man and his best friend to roam and socialize. 

Ashlee Gauthier of Labrador City was instrumental in making the park a reality.

“The idea came to me back in January after we adopted our second dog from the S.P.C.A.,” noted Gauthier. “There was nowhere, really, to take the dogs to socialize. Plus, not everybody wants to encounter large dogs, such as mine, when walking down the sidewalk.”

In the early planning stages, and to garner community interest, Gauthier formed a group on Facebook. Through members’ discussions, it became obvious to her, many shared her perspectives on the need of a park that catered to dogs and their owners. Present day, the group is 701 members strong.

Town onboard

With good community support and a desire to see the dog park become a reality, Gauthier approached Town Council. They agreed with her vision and were willing to undertake the project and overall responsibility of maintaining the functionality of the park.

Establishing the logistics and fundamental principles for the park was little more straightforward than finding a space for it.

“Figuring out a space was, in a sense, a difficult process,” she explained. “Though the plans for the park had been approved fairly early on, several other alternative locations had been discussed before deciding on the ball field. The decision took a while.”

The park, which was completed Aug. 6, is currently opened to the public. Perhaps the greatest attribute of the park, she noted, is not only the spaciousness but the fence that surrounds the entire perimeter.

 “The park will provide more security for the owners and their pets,” said Gauthier. “People have used Circular Road, for instance, to walk their dogs. Due to wolf sightings and fears of bears, it is good to have a space to come to. Dogs are happy when they can get out of their own backyards and explore new surroundings! It’s fun for them.”

Feedback

Some members of the canine community and their owners visited the park Aug. 10. Sandra Jacobs and her trio of German Short-Haired Pointers affectionately known as “The Pointer Sisters,” hope to be regular visitors. “I think it’s a wonderful thing. It was a great idea and we greatly needed it! It has started at a good time too – especially with talks of wolves and bears on the go…”

Charlie, a Newfoundland dog, is one who obviously needs a lot of space. His owner, Darren Williams of Labrador City, is enthusiastic about the park and feels that it will be a lot of fun for other dogs to meet and greet each other. “The first couple of times we came, there were no dogs here. He was pretty happy to play here today!”

Caroline Adey also of Labrador City and her Labrador Retriever cross, Jack, shared the enthusiasm of fellow park visitors.

“I think it’s great!” Adey declared. “It is nice to see Labrador City get more amenities for people and their pets. It is nice to see that it’s fenced in too. The dog park we used to go to when we lived in Calgary had an opening. It never proved to be a problem as the dogs were too interested in each other. It will definitely be a great way to socialize our dogs here.”

Finnegan, the Parsons-Jack Russell Cross, seemed intrigued by the strategically-placed and non-operational fire hydrants. His owner, Lisa Blackmore, thinks the park is fabulous.

“We normally do the trails,” Blackmore commented. “At least we know we’re safe here.”

Changes and tweaks

While Gauthier is impressed with how everything has come together thus far, she did identify some minor changes that will be made regarding the set-up of the park. She recognized owners of smaller breeds could potentially feel nervous there with larger dogs.

“There will eventually be a separate, fenced-off areas for little dogs,” she said. “It’s great too that we’ve been able to recycle the fencing that was removed from Centennial Playground.”

It is uncertain whether the park will be operational year round. Gauthier said the issue has been brought up and that questions regarding the maintenance of the park in the winter time are being addressed in Council.

“Everything has only started,” said Gauthier. “An ‘official’ opening has been delayed due to a number of involved persons being away on vacation. It will, however, be sometime in the near future.”