Dog Park coming to Kennewick's Columbia Park

KENNEWICK, Wash. - The Tri-Cities is considered to be dog friendly, but for dog owners, there is currently only one dog park in the entire metro area.

That's about to change.

Marie Bleazard, her husband and her four-legged best friend make the commute to Richland almost daily.

"My husband and I live out north of Pasco on a farm and so we drive in every day," Bleazard said.

The two, along with their pup come to the Richland Dog Park for one main reason: to socialize. It's not just for their dog.

"For a lot of older people, some of this is their socialization," Bleazard said.

When Apple Valley News Now's Austin Reed broke the news to the group of friends that Kennewick is next to be getting a dog park, she was thankful.

"That's great! There's a lot of dogs in the Tri-Cities," Bleazard said. "It would be nice if there was more than one park for people."

On Tuesday, Nick Farline, who is the Kennewick Parks, Recreation & Facilities Director, gave some specifics on the plans for the new dog park.

"If you have no dog parks, every park becomes a dog park, Farline said. "We've identified through comprehensive planning - both, a plan that was done a few years ago and then our most recent comprehensive plan for our Parks and Recreation Department - that a dog park was a top priority and a need for the community."

The new park will be right behind the Toyota of Tri-Cities Playground of Dreams at Columbia Park and will be about 3.25 acres in size.

At this time, construction on the park is expected to start by the end of the summer and be open by the end of the year. The city does need more sponsorship funding, but that is close to being finalized.

"We've also been going out to the dog park in Richland and had an opportunity to talk with people that are there," Farline said. "There were people from Kennewick and Pasco coming to that location because there is no other spot. So the location of this is going to be easily accessible."

Farline said the design for the dog park can include areas for small, medium and big dogs, something that Bleazard said is critical for a good space for pet owners to bring their pets.

"They need to be fenced," she said. "It's nice if they're fenced because some dogs don't listen very well."

Farline said the dog park is just the beginning for the plans they have for Columbia Point Park.

Apple Valley News Now is a premier sponsor of the Toyota of Tri-Cities Playground of Dreams.

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