SUFFIELD TWP.: Canines are straining at their leashes to get to the area’s newest doggie play area situated on the shores of Wingfoot Lake at Ohio’s newest state park. And their owners, happy to oblige, have been visiting the park well in advance of its official grand opening Saturday.
The Friends of Wingfoot Lake Dog Park, the volunteer group responsible for construction of the 4.5-acre pooch park, will celebrate its official opening with an animal expo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Animal rescue groups, vendors and veterinary clinics are expected to offer advice and free giveaways.
Construction of the park was completed in October.
“Word got out a couple of weeks ago and people started coming,” said Jeff Burton, president of the volunteer group who was exercising his three dogs at the park on a warm, sunny day earlier this month.
Lori Rotruck and Darlene Hart said they used some vacation time to enjoy the day with Lucy and Ethel, their 8-month-old bloodhounds. The Lake Township residents said they started visiting the park on weekends about a month ago, after a friend told them it had opened.
“When we found out it opened up, I couldn’t believe they made this for the dogs,” Rotruck said as she admired the scenery and watched the sister hounds romp with other playmates.
Shortly after the Ohio Department of Natural Resources opened the state park in August 2010, employees held a meeting to see if there was interest in forming volunteer groups of “Friends” to make improvements to the 690 acres of property acquired from Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.
The state purchased the land and 444 acres of the 520-acre lake for $3.2 million with help from the Cleveland office of the Trust for Public Land, a national land-conservation group.
Goodyear closed the recreational complex in 2006 because of increasing maintenance costs.
About 20 volunteers indicated they would be willing to work toward establishing a dog park similar to those built at Portage Lakes and Mosquito Lake state parks, said Bruce Carpenter, Ohio State Parks manager. The group kicked off an effort to raise money to fund such a park at Wingfoot, he said.
“As it progressed and they started getting money in the coffers, we committed to them we would match their donations,” Carpenter said.
The group raised about $6,000 through various fundraising efforts to fence the park and divide it into two sections — one for dogs under 25 pounds and an area for larger animals. A large, anonymous donation came in at the end of the first funding phase to make the park a reality, Burton said.
“We got donations by selling sections of the fence for $50,” per 12-foot section, Burton said. Small metal memorial plaques are attached to horizontal rails of the 2,000 linear feet of split-rail fence.
Additional farm fencing erected inside the wooden fence makes the property secure for dogs.
The state spent the $12,000 earmarked for the project quickly, said Charlotte McCurdy, manager of West Branch State Park, who said she is using her experience to help design a similar dog park there.
“I worked on it a year and [state crews] had it completed in two weeks,” McCurdy said. “I couldn’t even begin to say how many hours of labor are in that park.”
The money paid for the fence, three public and three maintenance gates, wood stain, and hardware, she said. State crews added a water line inside the fence for dogs that get thirsty while playing.
The result was well worth the effort, said Susanne Moran of Akron, who said she visits area dog parks twice a week along with her husband, Dave, and their coonhound Murphy.
“We’ve been to all the parks, and this one is really good. It’s beautiful scenery,” Moran said as she looked past the dogs while gazing at the lake.
The nonprofit Friends committee is still accepting donations through its website, www.wingfootlakedogpark.org, hoping to make further improvements, Burton said.
“There are always more ideas than money, but after we get the basic items, we would like to add docks for dock dog training, a pet wash area and an agility course,” he said.
Kathy Antoniotti can be reached at 330-996-3565 or kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com.