By Sarah Brown
Lebanon Local
The expression “every dog has its day” may be what’s coming down the pike for the dogs of Lebanon – if it’s an agility course the pooches want.
A plot of about 3.5 acres of city-owned land across from the waste water treatment plant on Tennessee Road has been earmarked for the Lebanon Dog Park Committee to install a second dog park for the northern end of town.
“We have been asked to put one on the north side,” said Sally Morgan, who helped install the city’s first dog park at Bob Smith Park two years ago.
“The one on the south, people from the north aren’t going to go down there,” she said.
The proposed location, at 33110 Tennessee Road, will function as an agility course.
Janet Glancy, of Albany, used to live just down the road from the site. She still goes out there and walks her foster dogs, Bella and Brodie, around the trail that circles the waste water treatment plant.
“I love it here,” she said. “I’ve watched this park grow, and I like it. It’s just peaceful.”
Glancy had done some agility work with her own dog before he had to be put down, she said. Now she fosters two active dogs through SafeHaven Humane Society.
“If they had lessons here, I would definitely come. I think that would be wonderful,” she said.
The dog park committee first installed the one-acre Gillott Dog Park at Bob Smith Park two years ago.
“It’s our busiest park,” said Jody Williamson, city parks crew chief, who sits on the dog park committee.
But it took sponsorships to secure the funding to make that park become a reality, and that’s the same obstacle the committee is facing for the Tennessee Road park.
The committee agreed the first sponsorship they need to secure is $20,000 for fencing around the three acres. They decided at a recent meeting that whoever footed that bill would get the privilege of naming the park.
As soon as that’s secured, the committee will be able to establish a groundbreaking date, which they hope could happen this summer. Then they can focus on funding for the rest of the details.
The committee would also like to install a water line and faucets, benches, picnic tables, waste disposal stations, signage, shelter and fire hydrants.
The City of Lebanon maintains Gillott Dog Park, and will also maintain the new park, because they are both city-owned properties.
A fundraiser event for the park will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, May 17, at Bigfoot Grille. A portion of the proceeds will be donated, and Lebanon Dog Park will have a silent auction item there all week.
The committee would also like to see interested individuals and businesses join the dog park committee to help make the agility course become a reality.
For more information, email [email protected].