Editorial-TimesWV: Recreational dog park at East Marion fine enhancement to area quality of life

As the cool evenings of spring stretch into the warm nights of summer, many pet owners likely will be eager to take Rover out for a leisurely walk.But instead of a quick stroll around the block, more and more people are treating their pets to a visit to recreational dog parks, which are becoming increasingly popular destinations for pet owners and their pooches. In fact, these popular facilities aren’t just reserved for large cities anymore, and a simple search for “dog park” online yields more than 2 million results.Now Marion County can lay claim to its very own facility, “FIDO’s Backyard.” Named after the group that organized its creation, Fairmont’s Interested Dog Owners, the park opened to rave reviews during a grand opening last month and is the latest addition to the county’s park system.The park offers a fenced-in area that is “off­leash,” meaning owners can let their dogs off their leashes to run around and play with other dogs. And just as dogs come in all shapes and sizes, so do the parks designed specifically for them. FIDO’s Backyard covers multiple acres in a wooded area in East Marion Park. The area is a mixture of open fields and woods, where trees provide shade in the summer and protection from the elements and fields give room to play games.The $15,000 facility was paid for through state and county funds — $2,000 from the state and $5,000 from the Marion County Commission — as well as $8,000 in donations from the general public.Members of the Marion County Parks and Recreation Commission (MCPARC) helped by transforming the formerly heavily forested lot into a dog park, and numerous volunteers also lent a hand. Dave Garcia, president of FIDO, said that without the volunteers — who con­tributed financial support as well as hard labor — the park would not have been possible.Everyone who was involved in the process should be praised for his or her hard work and dedication to this project, which not only boosts the overall look of the park, but also gives new opportunities for local residents to get outside with their pets.As Marion County Commissioner Burley “Butch” Tennant said, “This is a nice place for people to bring their dogs — a great addition to our parks system.”But perhaps Richard Walton, a member of the MCPARC board, said it best when he said, “This park is another quality-of-life enhance­ment for Marion County.” Clearly, the new facility is the latest example of the good that can result when the community works together.