THE Tea Gardens Lions Club officially opened the Hawks Nest Fenced Off Leash Area (FOLA) Dog Park on Sunday 21 June.
Dozens of dogs and their human friends descended upon the newly fenced-in area at Providence Bay Park, between Hawks Nest Reflections Caravan Park and Bennetts Beach, to experience the latest public community amenity in the area.
The park was officially opened by Tea Gardens Lions President Amanda Sykes, Vice President Robert Dorman, MidCoast Councillor Nicole Turnbull, and MidCoast Councillor Thomas O’Keefe, who is also a proud Tea Gardens Lion.
“This dog park has been built for the community, with significant support from the local community,” Ms Sykes said.
“We have had work done by local gardeners, concreters and landscapers, and several Lions have volunteered to get it ready for today.”
Cr O’Keefe said that just two months ago the area had been a dusty patch of council land behind the beach.
“Today we have a brand-new fenced-in area where all our canine friends can be let off their leads and allowed to run freely, without any fear of them wandering off into the wild blue yonder,” Cr O’Keefe said.
“Special congratulations to Amanda and Rob of the Tea Gardens Lions, all the local members of the Club, and Lions Australia for getting behind this excellent local project. It would not have happened without you.”
“It is great to see the dogs give the new park their official seal of approval today, judging by the zoomies and wagging tails. It is great to see new friendships forming at both ends of the lead, and well done on an incredible community fundraising effort,” said Councillor Nicole Turnbull.
The dog park has been on MidCoast Council’s Open Spaces plan for a while, and other parks have been established in MidCoast LGA locations including Wingham and Gloucester. The Tea Gardens Lions took the reins on the Hawks Nest dog park because there are so many dogs in the area, but the only public places that locals and visitors alike can legally remove their dogs’ leashes are significant distances up and down the beach, far away from civilisation, and with no form of containment around them.
The new dog park in Hawks Nest, just off Booner Street, gives dog lovers a place to let them run free but safely, as well as a significant social outing for human and canine alike, and adds to the children’s play and family picnic areas already established nearby.
Today, the park features secure fencing around two very large areas – one for small dogs, one for large and boisterous dogs – fresh water sources, agility equipment, sand pits, and concrete pads.
The project will hopefully soon be completed as local contractors and the Lions work to install permanent seating for humans, ideally with shading, and the Tea Gardens Lions will continue to drive their fundraising efforts to make it happen.
Multiple local sponsors are to be thanked, the names of which will go upon the ‘Founders Pawprint Stone’ at the unleashing area in the front of the dog park.
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