By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
After three years of dogged persistence, pups and their people christened the new Ridge Dog Park in Bowling Green on Tuesday afternoon.
Sprout the 12-pound rat terrier, Juno the 140-pound great dane, and many dogs in between attended the official ribbon cutting at the newest park facility in the city.
“Welcome all of you, my fellow dog lovers,” said Jo Ascunce, one of the founding members of the Friends of BG Dog Parks.
“This is not just a patch of grass,” but a testament to the community coming together to create something for their “four-legged family members,” Ascunce said.
The park is a place where dogs can exercise, make new friends, and where “tails can wag with abandon,” she said.
“Let’s unleash the fun,” Ascunce said.
Reactions varied, with Eddie the tiny rescue dog watching from the arms of his owner, to Charlie who took the role of unofficial greeter to every dog entering the park, to Marty the German shepherd mix who was a little anxious until he saw friends from doggy day care and began mingling with others.
“This is amazing,” Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mary Hinkelman said. After several fundraisers, and support from the city, the park took shape, she said.
“The community did come together to make this a reality,” Hinkelman said. “It’s like watching your kids play at a playground. It’s so great.”
As he carried the giant ribbon-cutting scissors to make it official, Mayor Mike Aspacher credited the citizens organization for “advocating so persistently.”
“I’m really happy for this outcome,” the mayor said. “This is a first-class facility.”
Wendy Manning, president of the Friends of BG Dog Parks, said the park is like a “field of dreams.” It started with a small group of citizens speaking at City Council and city park board meetings – and resulted in the 1.4-acre facility at Ridge Park.
All types of dogs came to Tuesday’s grand opening – Dobermans, huskies, spaniels, shepherds, and mutts. They chased balls, took dips in a baby pool, and sniffed behinds.
The park, surrounded with a sturdy five-foot high fence, is divided into two separate areas for large dogs and for small dogs, with the dividing line being those above and those under 30 pounds. A sign by the gate provides a QR code for registering on the dog park website. Those registering are sent an email with the gate code.
There is no cost to use the dog park, which like all city parks is open from sunrise to sunset.
On Tuesday, the newly installed water stations for dogs and their humans, in both the big and small dog sections, kept dogs hydrated. And the new poop bag station got a lot of use.
A wish list of other features includes a splash pad for dogs to use during the hot summer months. A shade shelter is also planned, spanning sections in both the big and small dog areas.
A walking path around the edges of the park has been proposed, as well as an obstacle course area. And donations are being sought for shade trees and benches to be placed throughout the park.
The Friends of BG Dog Parks organization has hired a lawn company to maintain the grass, and is partnering with WLI for trash control.
