Two years ago, a small group of dog enthusiasts began to plan for an off-leash dog park for Grand Forks.
After numerous meetings, fund raising events and an abundance of help from the city, the dream has become a reality.
On Jan. 14, a few members of this group met at the recently fenced dog park to present a cheque to Mayor Brian Taylor
The group, now known as the Grand Forks Dog Park Association, began raising money by selling coupon sheets with donated discounts from local businesses involved in the pet industry. We also received larger donations from Unifab, the Grand Forks and District Savings Credit Union and the West Kootenay Kennel Club.
We continued with a fundraiser of photos with Santa and ended our campaign with a raffle.
We applied for and received a grant from the Phoenix Foundation.
Overall, the group’s goal was to try to raise money from pet enthusiasts or their supporters.
At the same time, we contacted city council to determine the feasibility of this project.
The City generously passed a resolution to supply us with the land, installation of fencing and maintenance of the area.
After much consideration and debate, it was decided that the most appropriate location for the park was on 18th Street behind the oldest part of the cemetery.
The group recently met to decide on wording for our sign, which should be ready for installation soon. The park is now open and just waiting for dogs and their owners to make it their own.
The members of the Grand Forks Dog Park Association are grateful for the support we have received from the community.
What seemed like a monumental project two years ago has become a tribute to the community spirit of dog enthusiasts of Grand Forks.
-Article by Kathy Novokshonoff