A $25,000 Dog Park Grant awarded to Town; McFee Park site targeted
All the hard work has paid off. Farragut officials were notified last week it was among 10 $25,000 Tennessee Dog Park Dash Grant winners courtesy of the Boyd Foundation.
Grants were distributed to communities demonstrating their desire for a dog park through social media.
“Those who follow the Town of Farragut on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter were encouraged to share photos of their favorite pups with the hashtag #DogParkDash2022 and mention Farragut,” a Town press release stated.
“The Town also hosted a doggy ‘flash mob’ at the grand opening of Phase 3 of McFee Park that was filmed for the Town’s social media campaign,” the press release added.
“Our community has expressed a desire for a dog park, and this grant will be a big help,” Mayor Ron Williams said after the announcement, which was made Friday, July 22, on Facebook.
“I’m grateful to the Boyd Foundation for the Dog Park Dash program and to the community for participating in our social media campaign,” Williams added.
The money will go toward placing a Dog Park on a back portion of McFee Park, “in the northwest section, behind where (the Dimmick house)sits now,” said Town Parks & Recreation director Sue Stuhl.
“We are very thankful for the funds from the Boyd Foundation to assist with the construction of the Town’s first dog park,” she added, noting there is not yet a design, cost estimate or timeline at this point, but details will be worked on “in the upcoming months.”
This year’s grant recipients, by region, are: East Tennessee, Farragut, Lenoir City, Hixson and Dunlap; Middle Tennessee, McEwen, Lewis County/Hohenwald, Franklin, Clarksville, Livingston, Goodlettsville and Waverly; and West Tennessee, Overton Park, Whiteville, Jackson and Somerville.
Waverly received a special $50,000 prize as the 100th and final Dog Park Dash winner, according to a Boyd Foundation press release.
Launched in 2018, the Dog Park Dash program has provided more than 100 communities with grants totaling $3 million with the goal of making Tennessee the most pet-friendly in the nation, the press release added.
