Hugh Carey / hcarey@summitdaily.com
Much to the delight of local pet owners, Breckenridge has reopened part of the Carter Park dog park.
Only a third of the large area will be open to the public as the town works to upgrade other pieces of the park, which has been closed since late April due to an inordinate amount of dog feces left there over the winter.
According to the town, the closed areas are on the west side of the park, and the public is still allowed access through the main gate. Staff will remove the grass and 4-5 inches of topsoil to replace them with new soil and sod, in addition to irrigation work and an analysis of soil conditions.
Depending on how quickly the sod develops and takes hold, staff hope the improved area can be reopened sometime in mid- to late June. Meanwhile, the “small dog” area to the east will be open with no improvements planned.
“We are happy to reopen the park but want to continue to stress the message that it is the responsibility of dog owners to pick up after their pets,” said town manager Rick Holman in a news release. “The town will be creating a community working group to brainstorm ideas on how to deal with dog waste around town. But by being diligent, we can all make sure that everyone can continue to enjoy the park and our trails.”