Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Groundbreaking held for dog park in Oxford
Work is now underway for the long anticipated dog park at the Oxford Area Regional Park.
Oxford Area Recreation Authority Board Members were joined by local officials and supporters for a groundbreaking ceremony Friday to celebrate the start of construction on the new dog park.
Work is now underway for the long anticipated dog park at the Oxford Area Regional Park, at 900 W. Locust St., Oxford. There will be separate areas for large and small dogs, where they can run off leash, socialize with other animals, and play with their owners.
“This is a big day for us,” Authority Board President Chip Benke said. “We started this three or four years ago. We received correspondence from a person who was interested in donating anonymously for a dog park. We couldn’t come up with a spot, I think we hade three or four different locations, but eventually we asked Martha Straus to help us and she did the design.”
In addition to the grant from the anonymous donor, community businesses and individuals are assisting with discounted costs or donations of amenities such as benches, trees, agility obstacles, and dog waste stations.
“When I came onto the board and saw this was one of the projects that had kind of stalled a little bit, I told myself this is something we can get out and get done quickly,” board member and Project Committee Chair Scott Fetterolf said. “I really didn’t expect it to take this long.”
To help cover the ongoing maintenance costs associated with the dog park, a fundraising brick campaign is now getting underway. Individuals or businesses may purchase a brick with the inscription of their choice. When sales are complete the bricks will be laid at the dog park entrance, walkway and around the new “Puppy Garden” just outside the dog park fence.
Work is being done by Chester County Fencing of Honey Brook, and Jamac, Inc. of Downingtown is the fence grounding contractor. Construction will be complete in time for the grand opening Saturday, May 19 from 1 to 4 p.m. The celebration event, organized with the help of Keystone Animal Hospital, will include booths with vendors and information of all kinds related to animal care, health, and nutrition. There will be crafts and games for children along with a ribbon cutting at 1 p.m. to officially open the dog park.
The grand opening is being held on the same day as the authority’s second annual Kids To Park event, which will be held May 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Kids To Park is a nationwide initiative to encourage children to play outside. All activities at this event are free, including face painting, games, crafts, and free snacks.
For more information about the park, events, and fundraising bricks, visit the Oxford Area Recreation Authority on Facebook.