
Antigonish‘s long-awaited dog park is up and running with little fanfare.
Laurie Boucher, the town’s mayor, says they had hoped to have a proper grand opening, but COVID-19 restrictions have made that practically impossible.
Boucher tells The Hawk the park, alongside Columbus Field, is a boon for the town.
“(It’s) a place so the dogs can go off leash,” she says. “There’s not many places around Antigonish area that- even in the county (and on) a lot of the trails- you (can) take your dog off leash, just for safety’s sake.”
Boucher says people have been asking for it for a long time.
She says it’s not only good for people living in the community; it will help boost tourism once the pandemic is over.
“People that are travelling with dogs look for places to stop and let their dogs run around, maybe feed them, get them to use the bathroom, and then they run around and get some exercise,” she says. “We really believe that the dog park is one more reason to come off the highway and visit Antigonish, and we’re hoping that does happen.”
Boucher says they are still planning to hold a grand opening, but they can’t be sure when it will be possible.