Dog park to be dedicated in April

By Mike Marino
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — Fido and Lassie will soon have a new area to play and exercise in, as a park in Grants is literally going to the dogs. Preparations are under way for the dedication of Grants' dog park at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 21.

The third of an acre dog park, the first of its kind in Grants, will be located on Lobo Canyon Road next to the city maintenance center and will fall under the jurisdiction of the Parks Department of the City of Grants. The fenced park will be open to dogs of all sizes and there are plans for additional fencing to be put in place to separate the larger dogs from the smaller ones. There will be scoopers on hand for the thoughtful dog owner and of course it is the owner's responsibility to make sure that pets leave nothing behind.

The idea of the dog park has been around for awhile but went from concept to reality a little under one year ago. There are various animal appreciation groups in the area, and talks between them and the city began last year, with the council approving the park in August 2006.

The city council is also looking for five volunteers to serve on an Animal Shelter Board. The board would oversee the dog park and the animal shelter and help coordinate communications between animal organizations. Another aspect of the board would be to expand the existing dog walk.

There has been some interest in serving on the board and according to Bob Horacek, City Manager of Grants, "We hope to have a board in place by our next scheduled meeting. If not by then, certainly by the next one after that."

Anyone interested in serving on the board or for more information can contact Grants City Hall at (505) 287-7927.