November 4, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
A grand opening celebration and dedication of Smithville’s new Central Bark Dog Park will be Friday, November 6 at 1:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend.
The park is located at 186 Transfer Station Road behind the DeKalb Animal Shelter off Highway 70 east to the rear of Tenneco Automotive.
Randy Boyd of the Boyd Foundation Dog Park Dash Grant Program and President of the University of Tennessee will be the guest speaker. The Boyd Foundation last year awarded a $25,000 grant to the City of Smithville for the development of the park.
The program will begin with welcome remarks by Mayor Josh Miller and Gayla Hendrix, grant writer and former Smithville Alderman who came up with the idea and secured the grant for the dog park.
Reverend Mark Pafford of Authentic Being Counseling Services, PLLC will offer the invocation and Dr. Scott Little of the DeKalb Animal Clinic will lead the blessing and dedication followed by the ribbon cutting.
The Dog Park is enclosed with a chain link fence where dog owners can bring their pets for a stroll. The park, which can accommodate both smaller and larger dogs, will have water stations, agility equipment, and park benches.