East Texas pet owners will soon have a three-acre place for their dogs to play and romp.

Construction is underway for the Sunrise Paw Park, 11415 County Road 166.

The dog park will be outside the Tyler city limits on Baggett Road, or County Road 166. The location is between Old Jacksonville Highway and Toll 49.

The park will total four acres, with three acres utilized for play areas. The rest of the space will serve as a parking lot.

Planned features include three fenced-in areas, with separate spaces for large and small dogs. The space will have a central pavilion for gatherings, shade areas and a dog washing station. There also will be water fountains that serve humans up high and pour into bowls on the ground for canines. However, there will not be public restrooms in the park.

The park has a tentative June opening.

The Sunrise Paw Park is a joint project between the Tyler Sunrise Rotary Club and the Anderson-Vukelja Foundation, a family foundation based in Tyler. The foundation donated the land, and the Rotary Club will help with fundraising and ongoing maintenance of the park.

“It’s something that Tyler does not have,” Sunrise Rotary President Mark Cox said. “A lot of the people who work have their dogs in small areas or in apartments, and need to have a place to go. They are really excited about it.”

Jo Dobbs, secretary of the club, said the organization’s timing perfectly matched up with the foundation, and the two decided to partner. The club formerly refurbished the Splasher water fountain feature in Bergfeld Park, and is responsible for organizing the annual Taste of Tyler event.

“We were looking for a community project and a way to serve the community that wasn’t already in existence,” Ms. Dobbs said. “We wanted to do another community project that the whole community could enjoy,” Ms. Dobbs said.

Organizers said a group of about eight members traveled to other dog parks in the area to draw ideas, and then collaborated on the layout. A volunteer then created an architectural rendering.

 

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNTIES

Dirt work has already started on the property, but the rotary and foundation are seeking sponsors to help with construction and maintenance costs.

The public and businesses will be able to purchase naming rights on a long list of items including the pavilion, water fountains, benches and tables. There will also be paver bricks for sale that will be made into pathways. A full list of available items will be released in the coming weeks, and the rotary is putting final touches on its website, www.tylersunrisepawpark.com. The website is expected to go live March 16.

A Facebook page for the park was created Thursday, and as of Monday evening had 604 likes. Until the website goes live, the Facebook page will be the main public information portal.

The Rotary Club is a certified 501 (c)(3), making all donations tax-deductible.

Anyone interested in helping with fundraising or construction efforts can email Tylersunriserotary@gmail.com.

 

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