Oxford dog park breaks ground

OXFORD — Dog-lovers rejoiced May 21 as ground was broken on Oxford’s new dog park “Northside Bark: A Gated Canine Community.”

About three years ago, Friends of the Oxford Dog Park formed with the goal of establishing a designated off-leash park for dogs in Oxford. The group became the Oxford Dog Owners Group in April 2009, after the Oxford City Council unanimously passed a resolution allowing the group to convert Northside Park into a dog park, said OxDOG President Bill Levenderis.

Oxford Mayor Richard Keebler said having a dog park will be great for Oxford, because a leash law inhibits dogs from being let loose to run around.

“The dogs always had to be on a leash unless they were on private property and in an enclosed area,” Keebler said. “I think that the dogs needed somewhere to go; it’s a good community place for the dog owners to get together as well.”

OxDOG had to raise the funds necessary to carry out the construction.

Phyllis Kadle, a Hamilton resident, donated $2,500 to the project, earning the right to name the small-dog area of the park, which she dedicated to her dog, Audrey.

“It’s going to be ‘Audrey’s Aire,’ which is a French word for ‘rest stop’ or ‘recreation area,’ ” Kadle said.

Ernst Bever donated $5,000 for construction of the park, saying his whole family loves animals and supports any projects devoted to improving the lives of them.

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