LaFayette residents with furry friends should keep an eye out for the city's new dog park opening the beginning of May.
The city's recreation department is hoping for a grand opening on May 1, but that will depend on the weather allowing final grading and work to be done, said LaFayette Recreation Director Jason Shattuck.
Dog parks are often major attractions in their respective cities. Here, more than 50 dogs played at the dog park at Greenway Farms in Hixson in 2016. LaFayette Recreation Director Jason Shattuck said he hopes the park will get families and pet owners outside with their pooch and having fun.
Located on the grounds of the old LaFayette High School, the park is part of a larger plan to increase citizen participation in the city's parks and public spaces by making them available to everyone, Shattuck said. He was hired in September 2016, and said a dog park was something he'd been considering for several months.
The park additions will cost around $3,500, according to Shattuck, and the funds are all coming out of the department's capital. In addition to the wide open space the park will provide, dog-specific structures like ramps and agility stations will also be included, as well as stations to dispose of pet waste, he said.
Shattuck said the pet population in the city and the surrounding area is increasing, so it made sense to try to incorporate that into the new park. He helped bring two dog parks to Dalton during his 13-year stint with that city's parks and recreation office, and said Dalton always received overwhelmingly positive responses about the parks.
"We see pets and their owners out and about all the time, and this is a great way to bring them into our parks," Shattuck said. "We wanted to create a space that an entire family could come out and enjoy the day at."
The proximity to the nearby walking track will mean easy access for people who want to bring their dogs for a run or just to play.
"We're looking to change the feel of our parks," Shattuck said. "Accessibility and fun are our primary goals."