Parks Board has March 21 open house on dog park

The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Advisory Board will have an open house on Thursday, March 21, to discuss the city’s first dog park, including a concept plan and proposed rules.

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the Oak Ridge Civic Center Social Room.

Radio Systems Corp. has agreed to give the city $100,000 through Legacy Parks to help build the dog park, which could be at Big Turtle Park in west Oak Ridge.

The Parks Board, its Dog Park Working Committee, and Oak Ridge municipal staff members have been working together to develop a dog park site plan and the rules for park use to “ensure that all dogs and their owners have a fun and safe area,” a press release said.

The release said the open house will provide an opportunity to share information with the community, including historical background, a concept drawing for the site, and proposed park rules.

The Parks Board and staff also hope to generate interest in a dog park user group that would help “encourage appropriate park usage and care of the facility,” the press release said.

The open house is the fourth in a series of quarterly open houses hosted by the Parks Board.

The Oak Ridge Civic Center is at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike. The Parks Board will hold its normally scheduled monthly board meeting immediately after the open house.

For more information, call Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department Director Josh Collins at (865) 425-3450.