'Dougie' Helps Break Ground for Duluth Dog Park

“Dougie, the Dalmatian” dug with his paws and joined Duluth officials in breaking ground Thursday (Sept. 29) for the three-acre at Rogers Bridge Park. City officials used shovels to turn the earth.

Duluth Mayor Nancy Harris welcomed two- and four-legged guests to the ceremony by remarking that the dogs had stolen her speech. “I had planned to go ‘woof, woof, woof…,” she said.

Duluth Parks and Recreation Department Director Kathy Marelle said the park will consist of two acres for large dogs over 20 pounds and one acre for small dogs under 20 pounds to run and play, a nature trail, benches, interactive fountains, and agility equipment. The Duluth Parks and Recreation Department will hand out information on the park at the on the Sunday, Oct. 2.

Originally named the Chattapoochie Dog Park, the dog park is now officially known as the Chattapoochee Dog Park reflecting its location near the Chattahoochee River. Construction on the dog park will really get underway next week with completion scheduled Jan. 1.

Participating in the ground breaking ceremony were Marelle, Harris, City Administrator Phil McLemore, City Clerk Teresa Lynn, “Dougie the Dalmatian” (William Aiken), City Council members Jim Dugan, Billy Jones, and Greg Whitlock; Olivia Whitlock, Whitlock’s daughter; members of the city's Park Advisory Board, and representatives of Georgia Development Partners, which was awarded the contract by the city to construct the park. They were Paul McDaniel, vice president of pre-construction for GDP, and Matt Moore, project superintendent for the dog park. The park was designed by Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates.

Design and construction costs are being paid for with SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) funds. 

Dogs and their owners who attended posed for photos with officials at the conclusion of the ceremoy. The crowd broke into spontaneous laughter as "Pepper," owned by Carol Ann Scott, immediately lifted a leg and relieved himself on one of the shovels used in the ground-breaking ceremony.