At long last, the sound of shovels hit the dirt on the new dog park in Pacifica Thursday.
Years in the planning, the ceremony marked the culmination of the dreams of the POOCH organization and other Pacificans to have a place where their dogs could run off leash and play with other canines.
Mayor Mary Ann Nihart presided over the brief gathering that brought together city staff and city council members, PB&R commissioners, POOCH members and a whole lot of dogs.
“This has been an amazing process,” Nihart said. “This has been a community driven process. POOCH has done the work, PB&R has been working to move it forward and I can’t believe it’s finally here. We have a great community.”
Marty Stawn with his doberman, Tiny, came out to celebrate the groundbreaking.
“Dogs need to be able to run and get their hearts pumping and find the right opportunities for off leash play. It’s healthy for dogs to get out and run.”
Construction is expected to take between two and four months to complete. The time period will depend on weather conditions.
The POOCH organization is fundraising to be able to pay back the city a portion of the cost of the building of the dog park and for ongoing maintenance. The organization has raised $25,000 so far.
To donate to POOCH, log onto www.pacificapooch.org.
— Jane Northrop
