The official grand opening ceremony happened in September for the Greene County Animal Shelter and along with that was another amenity.

Project organizer Don Orris says the Jefferson Rotary Centennial Dog Park is now open. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio the Jefferson Rotary Club gave $50,000, the most they have ever given in a single donation, to build the dog park. He points out there is a small dog park, for canines under 30 pounds and a large dog park for those over 30 pounds. Each park has similar toys including agility poles, stationary hoops for jumping, a teeter-totter, crawling tube and a hilltop, as well as benches. Orris says there are several painted metal images of dogs and cats at the entrance of the park that were done by the Greene County High School art class and Sarah Stott.

Orris explains that dog parks are skyrocketing across the country as a way for canines to run in a safe area without a leash. 

“They say, ‘Well I’m going to take my dog to the dog park,’ and they take their dog to the dog park alright. And they think they’re going to sit on the bench, but that’s not what happens. What happens is the people get involved in throwing a frisbee, get involved in playing with their dog, get involved with training their dog to use all these toys, and the people end up exerting as much energy as the dogs. So it becomes a human factor where they’re having fun and they’re getting exercise at the same time. People are loving it.”       

Orris adds the finishing touches are being installed in the dog park, but it is open to the public. Jefferson City Administrator Scott Peterson says the park can be used for free for the rest of the year as the animal shelter committee continues to work on a policy that may include either a fee or a permit to use the dog park starting next year.