Muskegon Canine Community Celebrates First Public Dog Park Sept. 26

Submitted by Cece Riley, Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce

MUSKEGON, MI – The coalition raising funds, designing and building a Downtown Muskegon Dog Park are having a concluding community gathering to celebrate the generous donation of PetSafe to the effort to raise more than $100,000 for Muskegon County’s first public off-leash park.

PetSafe, community leaders, project partners, donors and area dog lovers – and their dogs – will gather Monday Sept. 26 from 6-8 p.m. at the planned dog park site at Shoreline Drive and West Western Avenue owned by Muskegon County and known as the former Carpenter Brothers site. The park will be built next year at 793 W. Western.

Watch mUSkeGOn Dogs Go fundraising campaign will conclude Sept. 30. With the significant $25,000 national grant from PetSafe Bark for Your Park program, the local crowdfunding effort is expected to reach and surpass the $50,000 goal by the end of the month. Additional funds will go for additional park features and a maintenance fund.

With $50,000 raised, the Downtown Muskegon Dog Park will receive a Michigan Economic Development Corp. and the Michigan House Development Authority $50,000 grant from the state’s Public Spaces Community Places Crowdfunding initiative. (https://www.patronicity.com/project/downtown_muskegon_dog_park)

PetSafe officials – a national leader in the development of pet behavioral, containment and lifestyle products – will be in Muskegon to present local officials one of the Knoxville, Tenn.-based company’s Bark for Your Park awards for $25,000.

On the future site of the Downtown Muskegon Dog Park, PetSafe activities will be led by national dog trainer and pet expert Harrison Forbes. There will be a doggy photo booth, Playcore agility equipment, opportunities to adopt Pound Buddies dog shelter pets, the ability to create a dog outfit for a Pawject Runway event and have a dog portrait done by a local artist. There will be plenty of giveaways and an opportunity to engage Forbes on all sorts of canine topics.

The Downtown Muskegon Dog Park is being developed by initial partners Downtown Muskegon Now, Muskegon County, city of Muskegon, Community Foundation for Muskegon County and Baker College’s Vet Tech program. Others have joined the effort such as the Greater Muskegon Kennel Club, Watermark Center, Friends of Muskegon Dog Beach and Pound Buddies, among others.