Overton Bark Dog Park Opens Saturday, June 2
MEMPHIS, Tennessee (May 25, 2012)―The grand opening of Overton Bark, Overton Park’s new dog park, is happening Saturday, June 2. The dog park covers 1.3 acres and was created after an Overton Park Conservancy community survey found that park users desired a fenced dog park, a project that Hollywood Feed was happy to sponsor.
“Park users are telling us they can’t wait,” said Tina Sullivan, Overton Park Conservancy’s executive director. “It’s hard not to smile when thinking of the pure joy dogs express when they can run and play with other dogs.”
The kickoff event, sponsored by YoLo, will begin with a 1-mile fun walk/dog parade, followed by remarks from Memphis Mayor A C Wharton, Overton Park Conservancy leadership and Hollywood Feed president Shawn McGhee. The day’s events will be emceed by longtime radio personality Henry Nelson. After a “leash-cutting” ceremony, participants and their dogs will be welcomed into a celebration at the new dog park, featuring several local bands, food trucks, free yogurt from YoLo, contests, prizes and more. All proceeds will go to benefit The Streetdog Foundation and the Overton Park Conservancy.
Sullivan said that Overton Bark is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of community requests that the Overton Park Conservancy is working to fulfill. “Renovated playgrounds, new restroom facilities and improved connections for pedestrians and cyclists are in the planning stages,” Sullivan said. “Together, these projects will strengthen Overton Park’s role as a community gathering place and destination for locals and visitors alike to get outside and play.”
$175,000 is the total budgeted cost of the project being built by Wagner General Contractors, Inc. and designed by Askew Nixon Ferguson Architects, Inc. Overton Bark’s general contract expense is $147,000 and the balance will be spent on signs, landscaping and other necessary aesthetics. Appropriately, Hollywood Feed, a locally-owned natural and holistic pet food merchant, is the sponsor for Overton Bark.
For more information about Overton Park, visit www.overtonpark.org. For more information about Hollywood Feed, visit www.hollywoodfeed.com.
Press Contacts
Deanie Parker
Overton Park Conservancy
(901) 412.8720
Beth Okeon
[email protected]
