Section of East Marion Park Approved as Site for Dog Park

BYMALLORY PANUSKA TIMES WEST VIRGINIAN FAIRMONT — A section of East Marion Park was offi­cially approved as the future site of a countywide dog park last week. Dan Talbott, executive director of the Marion County Parks and Recreation Commission (MCPARC), explained that the park will be located in an area that measures between three and four acres behind the softball field at the East Side recre­ational facility. MCPARC is working in conjunction with the Fairmont Interested Dog Owners (FIDO), a group pro­moting construction of the park. “We’ve been working with a group of really, really great people,” Talbott said of FIDO. “We are working with this group in helping them help their cause.” Currently, an engineer is working on the specifics of the project, which will ideally be either a completely or par­tially fenced-in area where responsible pet owners can bring their dogs, Talbott said. He said the area will also be “off-leash,” which he explained is a term used all over the country that refers to an area where owners can let their dogs off their leashes to run around and play with other dogs. But the dogs must always be controlled and must stay in the designated area, he added. Talbott also said that the area will be a mixture of open field woods, which will offer benefits to pet owners utiliz­ing the facility because the trees would offer shade in the summer and some protection from the elements, and the fields will give them room to play catch and other games with their dogs. Other benefits can be found within the social aspect of the park, Talbott said. “A dog park is more than taking your dog for a walk,” he said. “It’s a social thing. It helps the owner get exercise as well as the pet. It’s just good for the community.” FIDO’s next meeting was to be held this weekend, and Talbott said members will be discussing fundraising efforts for the park as the next step in moving the project for­ward. He added that the group will also need to solicit the City of Fairmont to consider passing a special ordinance to allow for the park to be constructed at that location because it is within municipal limits.