Dogs and their owners will have a new place to run free as the Golden Off Leash Dog (GOLD) Park opens on June 9.
The idea of opening a dog park has been in the works for more than a year, and GOLD director Renee Mirehouse is happy to see it finally coming to fruition.
In the fall of last year, Mirehouse and a group of dog owners proposed to utilize a piece of town property, that was being used for storage, as a temporary dog park. The area on 12th Street S. is already fenced off, and only required some repairs to the existing fencing. The Town of Golden approved the idea, and shortly after the GOLD Park began to take shape, and organizers formed a society. GOLD has three directors, and up until now, they haven’t needed many volunteers. Mirehouse hopes that once the dog park is open, users will do their part to help keep it clean and tidy.
“I’m going to put out a plea to the users of the park to be the park volunteers. If they see somebody hasn’t cleaned up, clean up. Keep the place in good repair, make sure that people are following the rules,” she said. “I’m really hoping the users will police themselves.”
The society has drawn up a set of rules for dog park users to follow, and Mirehouse says the Town of Golden will be collecting garbage from the bins that will be located at the park.
As June 9 approaches, the Town of Golden will be clearing up any stored items that are currently on the property. Already, a fenced in enclosure entrance has been constructed, which will allow users to enter the park with their dog on leash, close the first gate behind them, and proceed to unleash their dog before officially entering the off leash area. Mirehouse says that at the moment, users will have to bring their own water for themselves and their pets, but with some more fundraising she hopes to install a water fountain for all of the thirsty visitors.
The original plan called for a timber frame shelter, a water fountain, and an agility course for the dogs, but GOLD has had difficulty securing funding because of its temporary status.
Instead of the timber frame shelter, Mirehouse is thinking of getting a tent structure to provide shade. The society is also working on obtaining picnic tables to provide seating for visitors.
“I would like to have some kind of a shelter there,” Mirehouse said, adding that there are some trees on the property that will provide some shade from the sun.
GOLD’s next goal is to secure a permanent residence for the dog park, Mirehouse explained. She hopes that once a long term location is found that funding will be easier to get to install all of the amenities for two-legged and four-legged visitors.
