It was pure puppy pandemonium at the opening of Penticton’s newest off-leash dog park on Wednesday afternoon.
Grey skies and constant rain didn’t keep dozens of people, along with their canine compadres, from attending the opening of the new area in Industrial Place.
Mayor Dan Ashton, MLA Bill Barisoff and city councillor Judy Sentes were in attendance, with Ashton and Barisofff speaking before a ribbon cutting officially opened the park.
However, the pooches in attendance paid no mind to the formalities and bounded about the park, playing with one another and christening the park’s trees.
“It’s amazing,” said Kathy McKenzie, one of the dog-owners at the opening. “I’m so, so glad that the city has recognized that the dogs needed a safe space, and it’s safe for everybody.”
McKenzie said she thinks the new park will cater more towards little dogs, like her miniature pincher, and the owners of bigger dogs would use the other available off-leash park because of its higher fences.
As well as the off-leash dog park, the newly developed area also acts as a trailhead for a number of trails and routes around Penticton, such as the Okanagan River channel and Ellis Creek walkway
The project saw a former roadway being completely redeveloped and landscaped, with the road being taken out and replaced with grass, trees and shrubs.
Part of the $130,000 project was covered by a $47,250 grant received by the city from LocalMotion, an initiative promoting the development of pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.