KAPAA — They did it. A dog use area that Wailua residents Rene and Tommy Tokuda envisioned nearly four years ago is open. KAPAA — They did it. A dog use area that Wailua residents Rene and Tommy Tokuda envisioned
KAPAA — They did it. A dog use area that Wailua residents Rene and Tommy Tokuda envisioned nearly four years ago is open.
KAPAA — They did it.
A dog use area that Wailua residents Rene and Tommy Tokuda envisioned nearly four years ago is open.
“I was looking at my paperwork and we started in mid-2010, so it’s like, ‘Yes! It finally happened,’” Rene said with a laugh on Sunday as she and Tommy stood at Eastside Happy Dog Playground.
“We’re just so happy to have it for the community and the dogs — that’s the main thing,” Rene continued. “We need more like it. We need more dog-friendly areas.”
As a steady drizzle of rain fell, about 60 residents, many with their dogs in tow, gathered at Wailua Homesteads Park for the opening of the fenced, off-leash area they could finally call their own.
One of them was Wailua Homesteads resident Lindsey Johnson, who used to play fetch with her one-year-old dog, Mai Tai, in her home or take Mai Tai for walks or runs up her street for exercise before the park opened.
“It’s so important to give dogs the exercise they need and have a place for dogs to socialize,” Johnson said as she played with Mai Tai on Sunday in the small dogs section of the dog use area. “It’s great and it has been great to meet other dog owners who come to the park, too.”
Before the hounds were allowed to romp around their new play area, officials thanked everyone for the support on the project.
“The county has been more than happy to help and assist in providing materials and help with coordination but it’s really the community wants that has pushed it forward,” said Department of Parks and Recreation Director Lenny Rapozo, Jr.
After nearly three years of planning between the community group and the county, a $35,000 grant for building supplies was awarded to the Lihue-based nonprofit Malama Pono Health Services, which serves as the county’s designated fiscal sponsor for the group.
The 1.5-acre dog use area includes double-gated entrances for a separated one-acre play area for large dogs and a half-acre section for dogs under 30 pounds.
Construction on the dog use area adjacent to the tennis courts and pavilion area of the park began in August and was nearly finished in January, when someone stole two 6-foot tall entry gates from the park.
The community group, however, bounced back several days later when the Dog Fanciers of Kauai donated the money needed to fabricate and install new gates for the park.
“The Wailua-Kapaa Neighborhood Association is extremely happy that Kauai’s very first dog use area in a county park is officially open,” Wailua-Kapaa Neighborhood Association Chair Rayne Regush said. “And it will be exciting to see which other communities step up to partner with the county for the next dog playground.”
The county, Rapozo said, will be bringing in additional metal garbage cans for the area sometime this week and is working to have water fixtures installed.
Wailua Homesteads resident Anne Pecoff said Eastside Happy Dog Playground will be a positive thing for her and her pet.
“I like it because it’s going to help my dog get socialized with other dogs,” Pecoff said as her miniature Dachshund, Amber, played in the small dogs section. “It’ll be good for her to learn how to run and learn how not to be afraid of the bigger dogs because she got attacked, and ever since then, she has been a little sensitive.”
