‘An awesome day’ for Duke City canines
Pooches, local dignitaries celebrate Kirtland Community’s new terraced dog park
“It’s an awesome day to be a dog in Albuquerque,” city Parks and Recreation Department Director Dave Simon proclaimed on Saturday.
Simon, along with dozens of dogs and their humans gathered to celebrate the city’s newest dog park, marking the city’s 15th such space.
The half-acre, $346,000 park has been in the making for several years, and members of the Kirtland Community were excited that it’s finally complete.
“I appreciate the fact that now I don’t have to go so far,” Kirtland Community resident Jan Powdrell said. “We can just walk to the dog park.”
Powdrell said she and her dogs, a Chihuahua named Cinnabon and pug mix named Trey, walk to the park nearly every day.
Kimberly Brown, president of the Kirtland Community Association, said the space allows dogs to run freely.
When in the nearby park, they should be leashed, but Brown said that’s a rule that isn’t always followed.
“Not everyone is comfortable around animals. When we see people out in the park with their dogs, it can be intimidating for some folks,” Brown said. “Just looking at the needs of our community, we felt it was necessary.”
Familiar faces from around the city attended the celebration, many with furry friends in tow.
Mayor Tim Keller and his family brought along
their Norwegian Elkhound, Austin, who could be seen happily running with a few of the other dogs.
Chief Administrative Officer Sarita Nair’s 105-pound Great Dane and Boxer mix, Maximus, was also on hand.
The city’s Animal Welfare Department brought along a few dogs of their own in need of homes.
The dog park is unique, Simon explained, in its terraced design.
Its three levels allow dogs to jump up and down from level to level, which many dogs at Saturday’s celebration seemed to take to immediately.
It’s also covered with crusher fine gravel instead of the wood chips normally used, “so easier walking for our four-footed visitors and obviously easier clean-up,” Simon said.
Simon reminded dog park patrons to clean up after their animals and keep them on a leash if they exhibit aggressive behaviors.
Dogs should also be under voice control of their owner.