Kent dog owners will be out in force at an East Hill park Saturday, as they celebrate the opening of Kent’s first off-leash dog park.
Located on East Hill between Morrill Meadows and East Hill Parks on Southeast 248th Street, the 3-acre site has a grand opening at 1 p.m. In place of a traditional ribbon-cutting, Mayor Suzette Cooke will untie a string of colorful doggie bandanas to “unleash” the park and let the dogs take it over.
After numerous complaints about dogs roaming off-leash at Clark Lake Park, city staff met with community members and began the planning process in mid-2009 for an off-leash park. A volunteer group of dog owners formed to help raise funds and clear the area. Volunteers for DOGPARK (Dog Owners Group Promoting Animal Recreation in Kent) have dedicated most Saturday mornings since February to clear invasive and overgrown vegetation, then construct fencing.
The group secured a $10,000 grant from the Petco Foundation. Donations were also received from McLendon’s Hardware, The Home Depot, Tacoma Screw and Davis Wire.
The park has fenced areas for both large and small dogs. Volunteers finished the final section of fencing and planted native trees and shrubs to provide an additional buffer for neighbors just before the Grand Opening during Make a Difference Day.
For more information about the grand opening, call 253-856-5110.
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