NIPAWIN — A grand opening for the newly developed Nipawin Dog Park will be held May 31.
Nancy Graham, chairperson of the dog park committee, has invited council and the community to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony and barbecue. The event begins at 11 a.m. at the Nipawin Dog Park, located at 700 6th Avenue West.
Graham said, “We have been trying to get a dog park for years. We met about a year and a half ago, ended up switching locations for various reasons. People have been using the dog park all winter long. We were able to fundraise $45,000 for the installation of the fence last fall.”
"It is still a work in progress. We have it fenced now but we still need to purchase bench’s, landscaping install some walkways and lights in the park,” Graham said.
The dog park has two fenced areas, one for large dogs, and one for smaller dogs. Graham said all dogs are welcome to use the park as long as their vaccinations are up to date and have a licensed dog tag.
The ribbon cutting will be followed by a barbecue fundraiser running from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Proceeds will go toward ongoing improvements to the park, including safety lighting and benches. Generation Event Centre will be donating all the burgers and buns. The dog park committee will also be selling their homemade dog treats from the Barkery. Pups and Kitts, a local business will also be at the dog park providing nail trim clinic on a first come, first serve basis.
“This grand opening is a wonderful opportunity for community members to come together in the spirit of celebration and shared purpose,” Graham said.
Mayor Marlon Zacharias also thanked the volunteers who helped bring the park to life.
“A big thanks goes to the volunteers who put a lot of time and effort into making this park a reality,” he said.
With the addition of the new facility, Nipawin joins a growing list of Saskatchewan communities investing in dog parks to promote recreation and community wellness.
