Niverville and area pet owners have waited a long time for the return of their beloved off-leash dog park. The wait isn’t over yet, but the end may finally be in sight.
Decommissioned a few years back to make room for the new Community Resource and Recreation Centre, the new Niverville Dog Park will be more than double the original size once construction is complete.
This fall, topsoil was brought in and the grounds were graded. The first round of grass was seeded. Come spring, the town anticipates continuing with a second round of seeding topped off with the installation of fences and gates.
Barry Piasta is the organizer of Friends of the Dog Park and he’s overseen a variety of fundraising events over the years to help furnish the park with pet-friendly features.
Piasta says they are aiming for a grand reopening of the new park next July, depending on weather and how well the grass takes in the springtime.
“The [agility equipment] that was there before will be reinstalled,” says Piasta. “There’ll be pet-friendly trees and shrubs and a hill or two, pathways, and a pergola. Also, a water source for the summer months.”
A small portion of the pre-existing dog park, located immediately behind the Centennial Arena, is still open to the public. Piasta asks that pet owners keep their pets out of the newly seeded area that runs alongside and behind the curling rink until next year.
Once the park is open in its entirety, it will feature a fenced section dedicated solely to owners with small pets in case they’re intimidated by the larger varieties. Throughout the park, users will find picnic tables and benches to rest upon as their pets burn off energy.
Mayor Myron Dyck says he’s cognizant of the disruption that this project has been to pet owners and is looking forward to its completion.
“Thank you to Barry Piasta for working with the town to see this space completed and to the residents, and in particular the dog owners, for their patience,” Dyck says.