Dedication Takes Place Today for Dog Park

A special person who has contributed time and effort toward the creation of Attleboro's new dog park on Pond Street North will be honored later today at the facility with a dedication. Dog park committee members are being tight-lipped on the honoree during a ceremony beginning at 11 a.m.

"We'll just say it's a special person in the community," committee co-Chair Carol Ferraro said.

The park opened in February after five years of various methods of fundraising by a small, but committed, group of enthusiasts with a belief Attleboro residents and their four-legged family members should not have to leave the city for the opportunity to allow dogs to run freely without a leash.

"I was sitting at the park recently, looking around and saying, 'Wow, we really did this. We finally did it,'" Ferraro said. "It's an amazing feeling."

The park is open every day, including Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and at various times on weekends. Retirees are working as monitors during the weekdays. They receive tax credits for their efforts.

Ferraro and committee co-chair Roberta Collins said it has been an almost totally positive experience since the park opened. There have been a few problems with people needing to be told children under 12 cannot enter the park and all dogs must be licensed. Collins and Ferraro said both those rules exist with the safety of the dogs and people in mind.  

"The regulars have been fantastic, and we've had people step up since it has been open," Collins said.

Among those who have been helpful are Brian Neily, Philip Draheim, Steven Scott and Allan Ferraro, who have been behind the installation of a dog park sign and benches, among other contributions.

In addition, Ferraro's son 16-year-old David and fellow boy scouts from Troop 25 constructed and assembled a handmade billboard and installed benches at the park as well as planted trees and shrubbery. This is David's project to become an eagle scout.

Those who are interested in paying for sponsorships on the park fence should send an email to attleborodogpark@yahoo.com. Money raised through this effort will go toward upkeep and maintenance of the park.

The park is located across from the Attleboro Animal Shelter at 27 Pond Street North. It will be open today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the dedication ceremony taking place at 11 a.m.