Pups and their people played in the Wareham Dog Park on Saturday, May 4, just as they do on a regular basis. However, they weren’t just there for a normal weekend meet-and-greet; they were there to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the dog park’s opening. 

Sally Morrison, a board member with the Dog Park Affiliation of Wareham, said she “couldn’t believe the year went by so fast.”

The construction of the dog park took years of fundraising and planning. The Dog Park Affiliation was founded in 2016, but with permitting, fundraising and pandemic-era delays, the park didn’t open until April 29, 2023.  

In the past year, regular attendance has built a sense of community among both dogs and humans, as attested to by participants at the anniversary celebration. 

“There are dogs that have best friends, it’s clear, but [also] people have connected,” said Morrison. 

“It’s good for the dogs — they need to socialize,” said dog park attendee Sandy Devlin. 

She and Ted Devlin have brought their dog Pepper, a Portuguese water dog, to the park “a lot” this year, they said. Ted said the space is great for dog owners who don’t have large yards of their own. “We all don’t have big spaces,” he said. 

Another attendee, Heidi, said she tries to take her basset hound Buster to the park for several hours at a stretch. 

“He loves it here,” said Heidi. “It’s nice to be off the leash.” 

Morgan and John O’Shaughnessy see the same dogs repeatedly at the park when they bring their Bernese Mountain dog Zuko out to play. “There’s a lot of community here,” said Morgan. 

“There’s social context for people as well as dogs,” said Morrison. 

While the dog park has found its audience in its first year of life, the park’s board plans to continue making improvements in the future. 

The board is hoping to install some dog-friendly amenities such as ramps and shade tents, which may be supported through fundraising or through grants. 

Morrison said the board plans to construct a trail along the edge of the current dog park leading into the woods. The path will lead to a remembrance garden, where dog park users can plant daffodils in honor of pets who have passed away. 

It will be “a place for people to relax as well as remember,” said Morrison. 

While that work is yet to come, attendees at the anniversary ceremony enjoyed human cakes and pup-friendly treats to celebrate the work that has already occurred to make the dog park what it is.