Temporary Dog Park OPEN!

As newfs noted in the comments for the last post, the Southeast Area Park off-leash area is OPEN for business!

We just got back from a short visit and there were already three other dogs using the park. It is a pretty simple facility, but very fun. The off-leash area is about an acre of grass with trees and bushes fenced off with chain link. There is a secure double-entry to keep your canine pals from running off and a clean-up bag box in case you forget to bring your own bags.

Charlie and Sadie's review is two paws up. All the trees and bushes provided ample opportunities for Charlie (hound mix) to sniff, explore, and mark, and the length of the area is more then enough for Sadie (pharaoh hound mix) to run at full speed. Even with a Chuck-It I could barely throw a ball the entire length of the park. They are looking forward to playing with other dogs as more and more people start coming.

So if you haven't done so yet, go get a permit and start enjoying legal off-leash play in Ann Arbor. And please follow the posted rules and etiquette, it is important for this to get off to a good start so the city realizes how much dog parks have to offer our community.

Permits Available

The City of Ann Arbor is now selling permits for the dog parks!

Details here

and here (PDF)

Just take your vaccine, registration and spay/neuter records to the City Clerk.

Not sure yet if this means Southeast Area Park is open, but I'll find out soon and get back to you.

Dog Park News Roundup

I've missed a lot of news in the past couple of weeks. Here's a quick digest of all the major dog park goings on.

- On Aug 22, the Ann Arbor News ran an article about the current dog park situation. They are projecting the temporary site at Southeast Area Park to be open in the third week of September. Construction is already complete. It would always be nice to see things happen sooner, but it looks like we are very close to the first opening of a legal off-leash area in Ann Arbor! Check the article for other details and timelines on the other projects.

- A few days later Christina, who many of us know well, wrote a letter to the editor in response to that article asking why we can't start using the off-leash area since the fence is up.

- At this week's City Council meeting (Tuesday because of the holiday), Council will be voting on a contract to begin construction at the large Swift Run site. There are some details in the memo attached to the resolution (PDF), the most interesting of which is that the projected completion date is November of this year. (Let's Hope!) -

- Finally, the city and Canine Social Club are holding an open dog swim at Buhr Pool on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons (PDF flyer). Take your friends, pay a small fee, and enjoy dog day. We have been to similar events in other cities and they are LOTS of fun whether your dog swims or not. I'm very sorry that I won't be able to go this year.