East St. Paul
Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 25/07/2023 (266 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
East St. Paul is going to the dogs, and the locals are loving it.
On July 13, the RM of East St. Paul officially opened its first off-leash dog park. Just shy of an acre in size, the spot is located behind the arena at 266 Hoddinott Rd.
Mayor Carla Devlin is excited to have a park where residents can bring their dogs to socialize.
“Council has been working on projects where we can have our community congregating and meeting, talking and sharing, and we thought the dog park would add to that,” said Devlin, who bought her family’s two English bulldogs to the opening.
“We’ve also had a lot of residents requesting a dog park in our community, which was helpful for council to make the decision, so we thank you for that. I’m proud that council is working together to make positive change and bring good things to our community.”
The park currently consists of some trees with plenty of space in which the dogs can run and play. Benches will be added soon, along with structures for dogs to play on or around.
“I’ve ordered and donated a fire hydrant to do their business on, just to dress it up a bit as a destination point for the residents with pets,” Devlin said.
Devlin’s dogs, Maui and Cindy-Lou, have already made good use of the space.
“They absolutely loved it,” she said. “It’s interesting because people keep their animals on leashes, and we never know how they’ll react. But you let them off leash and they were having the time of their lives. We’re more stressed about their socializing than they are.”
East St. Paul resident Brian Wachko brought his sheepdog Mickey to the grand opening.
“We were there almost an hour, just playing and enjoying the place,” he said. “You can just let them wander and not be too concerned.”
Wachko believes that the dog park is a great way to bring the community together.
“It gives dog owners an opportunity for people to connect and meet other people in the community,” he said. “Having a fenced in dog park adds to the community. It’s a service that many communities would want.”
With coyote activity in the area high lately, Wachko said it also gives dog owners a sense of security.
“Having a safe, secure place you can take your dog, even in the early evening or early morning when coyotes are more active, it’s reassuring,” he said. “And you’re not encroaching on other open places that other people use. Not everyone’s a dog person, but at the dog park, you know when you come to the dog park, everyone at the park is a dog enthusiast. It’s a safe place for the dogs and dog downers to interact. Many times I’ll learn a dog’s name before I learn the owner’s name.”