Dog Park Afternoon

Not according to some…

ure, it’s understandable that Bernie Stokes would be so excited and delighted when she got in touch late yesterday evening.

Local councillor Lourda Scott had just posted on Facebook that the North Beach end of the long-awaited 16-acre Greystones Park had just been opened, along with the town’s highly-anticipated dog park.

All part and parcel of the Marina Village development (a little tit for all tat lucrative real estate), the park may be a year or two behind schedule, but, given that there are 34.6 mutts to every person in Greystones, getting the dog park finished first was always a priority.

Only, we’re not so sure it is actually open. Bernie and a bunch of fellow campaigners – who first got together in 2011 – headed down to the park this morning, and there was plainly a little more work to be done.

“I’ve been going back and forth with the dog park architect, Ingrid Swan,” says Stokes, “telling her exactly what would work and what wouldn’t. My recommendations appear to have fallen on deaf ears though. And the fact that Ingrid hasn’t returned any of my calls since March suggests they will remain ignored.”

We swung down later in the day too, to let the mighty Max give the place the once over, and beyond the joy of being able to drink some dirty water from one of the two central mud holes, and having the long grass tickle his undercarriage, the lad was hugely underwhelmed.

So, we reckon the gates haven’t actually swung open on Greystones’ new dog park just yet. Instead, some eejit worker simply forgot to grab a padlock.

Still, good to see there’s progress being made, and that the town’s 16-acre park – originally due to be finished right about now – is edging ever closer to the finish line.

In the meantime, go check out the cunning Greystones Park plans – and artist drawings – right here.