New dog park set to open in December
Dog lovers, this one's for you. A new dog park is coming to Denton and will be at North Lakes Park, located on West Windsor Street.
The dog park will be seven acres long, equivalent to five and a half football fields. You won’t have to wait long because the park’s construction is set to start within the next couple of weeks and it will be done by this winter, said Parks and Recreation Superintendent Drew Huffman.
The dog park will consist of four five-foot, vinyl chain-link fences, Huffman said. Three of the four pins will be large pin areas, and one will be a smaller pin for dogs to play in.
Huffman said this project has been in the works for a few years and was chosen based on its location and proximity to a local animal shelter.
“This was the area [North Lakes] that was designated a few years ago for a potential dog park,” he said. “And the location works very well with the Linda McNatt Animal [Care and Adoption Center] shelter.”
Denton resident Tucker Butler owns three dogs and said he and his wife are “super excited” about having a dog park on their side of town.
“We are building our new house on this side of town so it’s super close to us,” the 28-year-old said. “I think it’s great.”
With the project still in phase one, there’s no official name for the dog park, so for now it’s being called the North Lakes Dog Park, Huffman stated. The city’s arts council also approved funding for art to be displayed, but it is unknown where the art will be coming from.
“The [Denton] Arts Council did approve funding for art, they usually sort that out whether it be local art or, you know, put out for everyone,” he said.
Along with the four pins, there will be park benches, trash cans, more trees, and dog waste stations put in the area around the dog park, Huffman said. The dog park’s grass will be made of Sod turf (Bermuda grass).
Huffman said in phase two — or phase one depending on if there is enough money in the current $505,000 budget — if funding is approved, there will be shade structures added for guests to protect themselves from the Texas heat.
When the North Lakes Dog Park is completed in December, it will be the second dog park in Denton. According to the city’s list of parks and trails, there is currently only one dog park in Denton, Wiggly Field, located on Ryan Road.
Lakyn Garza, 28, currently takes her small dog to Wiggly Field Dog Park, which is not close to where she lives.
“I usually have to drive across town to the dog park,” Garza said. “I will most definitely be utilizing the new dog park once it’s up and running.”
Header image courtesy of Unsplash.
Header by Kylie Phillips.