SPARTANBURG — Dog owners and their animals will quickly have more space to wander at the city’s Rail Tail Dog Park along the Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail.
The park, a popular location with barrier courses and animal watering stations, opened in 2012 throughout Duncan Park on Union Street south of downtown.
Now, it will broaden into a surrounding half-acre woody lot by summer. The brand-new space will consist of extra water stations for animals, and the existing dog park’s fencing will be enhanced.
“The dog park is going to be larger and offer some shade,” City Communications and Marketing Manager Christopher George informed The Post and Courier. “Right now, there is no place to leave the sun.”
The dog park’s growth need to be finished by July, he said.
Jaydon Meyer and Isabelle Savitz of Mauldin checked out the dog park for the very first time on Tuesday. They regular the dog park at Conestee in Mauldin however chose provide Spartanburg’s just dog park a shot.
“We like dog parks since they let our dogs wander around and they do not need to remain on a leash,” Meyer said. “They have more flexibility to delight in the outdoors.”
The couple took a trip 45 minutes to Spartanburg and strategy to go to the dog park once again. Their dogs Kojac, a Dutch Shepard, and Kash, a mini Australian Shepherd, brought sticks and ran over painted tires at the park.
Sharon Kissam of Boiling Springs goes to the dog park two times a week with her dog Sadie, an American Bully breed. Kissam anticipates the dog park’s growth.
“I believe it’s going to be much better with more water stations,” Kissam said. “I hope they have areas for smaller sized and bigger dogs. “
Kissam relocated to the location from Wilmington, N.C., in June 2022. There weren’t lots of dog parks where she lived, and she hopes more dog parks will appear in Spartanburg.
The city may build another dog park in the city restricts beyond the proposed growth of the existing dog park.
“Some council members have actually discussed making space for downtown for some kind of (dog) park,” George said. “We wish to have more than one in the future given that there is certainly require for it.”
Recent enhancements were made to the Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail, George said.
Some locations of the rail path afflicted with holes were filled, and edges of the path worn down by water were fixed. George said there are no strategies to repave the whole path, however it might be repaved in the future.
“We understand it is something that requires to be done,” he said. “The pavement there is reaching completion of its helpful life.”
Follow Chris Lavender on Twitter @spartanburgpc