The Lake Albert dog park is once again open to Wagga Wagga residents and their canine companions, after Council completed the project to upgrade the ageing facility.
Located in O'Halloran Park, at the northern end of Lake Albert, the dog park has been closed since mid-October to allow for the major revamp, its first in more than 15 years.
Parks and Recreation Assets Officer Rob Owers is confident the community, and their pets, will enjoy the changes and improvements made as part of the project.
"We have given the existing agility equipment a fresh coat of paint and installed turf in the central part of the dog park, around some of the equipment," Mr Owers said.
"There's a new, taller chain wire fence around the park, with top and bottom rails, and we built up the soil, so it comes up to the bottom of the rail, so dogs won't fit under it without digging their way out.
"There are also double gates to enter and leave the park, to reduce the chance of dogs getting out if one of the gates is left open. The last of these gates was installed last Thursday (28 November).
"We've also made some new additions, including a bubbler and bowl for the dogs, a shelter and picnic seating, and a variety of seating options for pet owners and visitors within the dog park itself."
A concrete access path from the carpark is another addition, and the Pet Waste Bag Dispenser has been relocated closer to the entrance gate.
With a large number of mature Blakeney Red Gums inside and surrounding the dog park, Council approached an arborist for an assessment of the most appropriate ground cover around the trees.
"The arborist recommended putting in a special forest wood mulch to help protect the trees' extensive root systems by reducing the compaction from the people and dogs who use the park," Mr Owers said.
"It's got a long strand so it doesn't flick around as much as, say, playground mulch, and that will hopefully minimize the dogs flicking it everywhere as they run around the park."
Council 'em-barked' on the upgrade project in response to a number of requests from the public to improve the facility.
Mr Owers thanked residents and the broader community for their patience and cooperation during the upgrade project.
"We know it caused some disruption in the area and had an impact on those people who regularly visit the dog park with their pets," Mr Owers said.
"However, their understanding has enabled us to get through the work quickly and has given the newly installed turf much-needed time to establish its roots system before being exposed to the pattering of paws."
The upgrade spend has been $70,000, funded through Council's Strategic Recreation Renewal Budget.
