Temporary Dog Park Will Stay Open, Switching Locations

The permit for expires today.  But Dedham dog owners will be happy to know that the park will not close down.  It will only be moved to another temporary location.

The committee will offer another extension for a year, or until the permanent dog park is complete. 

The park started as a pilot program, set up by .  At first, the Parks and Recreation Committee wanted to see how residents would respond to the park.  But they were surprised how fast hundreds of residents were using the facility.

According to DelloIacono, Dedham has 1600 registered dogs.  And since all of the other parks did not allow animals- it was almost a surprise to see that there was nothing put in place before.

You can also check out the park's website for the latest information by clicking here.

"I'm not a dog person," DelloIacono says.  "I wanted to open this park as a safety precaution.

He was concerned when he saw his neighbors walking their dogs through narrow streets, and unlit areas.  Mr. DelloIacono wanted to create a place where dogs were able to run around, while maintaining the safety of their owners.

"It would make me nervous whenever I saw a car making a sharp turn around a curb...cutting close to walkers," DelloIacono said.

The committee approved for the dog park to be moved to the Dolan Center at 269 Common Street. And even though it's only temporary, the new park will be a couple of feet larger than the current location, according to DelloIacono.

The next step for the committee will be setting up hours that will work for both residents and the town. But that will be determined at the next committee meeting.