Dog park celebration ceremony set for Sept. 12Date: 7/23/2015 AGAWAM – After nearly five years, dog owners of Agawam and surrounding communities only need to wait a few more weeks. The Agawam Dog Park is set to celebrate its grand opening ceremony on Sept. 12 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Though the park will be open before the ceremony, the day will allow the community to come together and enjoy the facility, according to President of the Agawam Dog Owners Group (ADOG) Board of Directors Debbi Sanchez.
“It’s more of a welcoming,” Sanchez said. “The grand opening is for ADOG to promote the opening of the park and for people to come in if they haven’t done so. There’ll be a few vendors, hopefully some dog related vendors from the area. If people are looking for specific items they can see those businesses at the dog park.”
Now that the Agawam Dog Park is nearing completion, Sanchez said all that is left is to let the grass take hold and grow. This will ensure that the grass will not be torn up, Sanchez said.
“Mother Nature has her own agenda, and we must go along with what Mother Nature provides for us,” Sanchez said. “We’ve waited this long, and if we have to wait a little longer for the grass to take hold so it doesn’t get destroyed, it is well worth it.”
Sanchez said she and the rest of ADOG have been getting excited for the official opening, and people in the community have already started calling about it.
“People are really jumping at the bit to get out there,” she said. “It seems like the phrase that if you build it, they will come just might work in that way.”
More than just a dog park for Agawam residents, Sanchez said it will be open to all, as long as the dogs are up to date on vaccinations and rabies shots.
“It’s a win-win. I think the businesses surrounding the dog park will see an increase, especially if they’re dog related,” she said. “People who come from out of town, say for the Eastern States Exposition, there’s a lot of dog events. There are people who are there for the whole 17 days of the Big E and then some. It’ll be great for the dogs to come out and play. We’re really looking forward to helping the needs of the community, but also anyone who happens to be in the area at the time.”
The dog park broke ground on April 14. Funding for the park came as a combination of fundraising efforts by ADOG, Community Preservation Act grant money and a Stanton Foundation grant.
Sanchez said she and all involved in getting the Agawam Dog Park were thankful for the support and funding from the Stanton Foundation and the community at large.
“Without them, we would not be where we are,” Sanchez said.
For more information about the grand opening ceremony, visit agawamdogpark.com.
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