Red Bank and Collegedale officials are throwing a bone to canine lovers this summer with two new dog parks.
Both cities are planting shady trees and selecting dog toys on different timelines. Red Bank city commissioners recently announced a definite late summer opening at White Oak Park, while Collegedale officials need residents to donate money for the park’s completion.
“It’s a public-private partnership, if you will,” Collegedale Mayor John Turner said.
According to a website started by Ooltewah resident LaDonna Kolling, officials need at least $4,700 for various upgrades at the Collegedale dog park, including a water fountain, four eight-foot benches, three rules sign and two signs for a “fecal station.”
Some Collegedale residents and their pups may have been a little too eager to jump into the park.
“We’ve seen evidence of people being in there,” Turner said. “So the gates are locked until we get it right.”
Turner said county funds paid for fence installation, and a group led by Kolling will help with other dog park aspects.
The mayor said he hopes the Wolftever Creek Greenway park will open by the end of August in a location that formerly housed a playground, which will be moved and expanded on top of a nearby hill.
Red Bank took care of its dog-park finances with a $20,000 contribution in discretionary funds from Hamilton County Commissioner John Allen Brooks.
“We definitely want to thank him,” Red Bank City Manager Chris Dorsey said.
But an issue surrounding the park sparked debate between the city’s top political and administrative leaders.
In April, Red Bank Mayor Joe Glasscock said he preferred a “sturdy chain-link” fence around the proposed dog park, but Dorsey opted for a more “aesthetically friendly” $9,800 wooden fence with wire in between horizontal posts.
Other issues met approval without any dogfights.
“There will be a fire hydrant, which is an essential part of any canine park,” said Dorsey. “And there will be water fountains for man and beast alike.”
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