(5/14) The Emmitsburg dog park officially opened its gates on May 5, much to the anticipation of many residents and dogs in Emmitsburg. This project was several years in the making, and town staff was incredibly excited to finally unveil the park to the public.

Over 30 dogs and their families attended the grand opening. Town Commissioners and Mayor Don Briggs were in attendance for the ribbon cutting ceremony held at 9 a.m. “I was very happy to see the great turnout,” said Commissioner Joe Ritz, “It looked like everyone had a great time, dogs and people included!” The event featured dog-themed music, several raffles with dog-themed gift baskets, a doggy photo station featuring silly hats for the canine companions in attendance and homemade dog treats.

Mayor Briggs noted in his remarks that the “a young girl's request was the impetus to three years of planning, grant writing, fund raising and construction. It is really been an ear to the ground response to demand. We knew the park has been used by many with their best friends "Alease". But by the opening
day use by 25+ dogs and use since, in a sense, we heard the dog whistle...”

The much anticipated dog park was a project that saw its ups and downs throughout the entire planning process. The location and design of the dog park was debated from the beginning, bouncing around various areas within the town’s limits. Many residents voiced their support for the project, and some voiced their concerns. The originally proposed location, behind Southgate, was turned down after many members of the community voiced concern over noise issues and the potential for loose dogs/dogs off of their leashes so close to a residential community. The final chosen location, in Community Park, is a great spot that will hopefully receive a lot of attention from residents and visitors to the area.

The fully fenced in park, which is located west of the tennis courts in Community Park, is 80 x 200 feet, which is larger than the original proposed plan. The park is divided into two areas to accommodate both large and small dogs. Pet drinking fountains, benches and waste stations are also located within the park. “We rolled out two firsts in the month of May for the town of Emmitsburg…they are wonderful additions to our public realm, and I am more and more humbled about what the staff has done,” stated Mayor Don Briggs. “The dog park was a major thing to accomplish, with the grants and the labor that went into it. I really appreciate what this town’s staff has done.”

Funding for the dog park came from a $13,000 Project Open Space Grant, some donations and a $17,000 budget transfer of overflow revenue from the FY17 budget. The initial projected cost of the dog park was not truly realistic, so the town wasn’t able to apply for sufficient grant funds to help minimize the costs. Items that needed to be funded at the time of the budget transfer were: mulch to cover the entire area ($6,000), concrete pads at the entrance of the gates to comply with ADA accessibility, signage ($1,000), benches ($5,200), three pet waste stations ($1,300), the installation of the water line to the dog park ($3,300), two dog drinking fountains ($4,000) and a leash post. Unfortunately, the initial fundraising effort only brought in about $1,500.

However, town staff extended a big thank you to all the donors that helped to make this park possible thus far! Any additional donors interested in contributing should feel free to reach out to the town office.