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| Patterson’s dog park reopens |
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| Written by John Saiz / Patterson Irrigator / | |
| Wednesday, 02 April 2008 | |
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“It’s a good place for him to play around, to socialize. It’s nice they’re actually doing something for the dogs.” — Eric Arriaza Dog owner
Patterson’s Dog Run reopened Saturday, giving pet owners a legal option in the county to let their dogs off the leash.  Good dog: Patterson's Jose Delgado pets a friendly pooch Saturday at the reopening of Patterson’s dog run at the T.W. Patterson Sports Complex. Photo by Elias Funez/Patterson Irrigator By Saturday afternoon, dog owners had already let their pooches loose in the fenced area, the only legal off-leash park in Stanislaus County. “They can have their little play dates,” said Marlena Cardinal, who heads up the Newman-based dog park advocacy group Friends for Sophia’s Dog Park. Cardinal hopes the improvements keep rolling, and she isn’t waiting for others to make it happen. She and her organization are seeking grants and donations to bring in new equipment. So far, Cardinal has received a $500 grant from United Way of Stanislaus County, and she is seeking $2,250 from a Hamburger Helper grant. Ultimately, she hopes to raise $4,000 for an assortment of obstacles, including ramps, stairs and tunnels. She said anyone who wants to see the new features for the dog run should visit her group’s Web site, www.westsidedogpark.com. The existing run is a modest patch of grass surrounded by chain-link fence and double gates. The new fountain sits next to a picnic table, which was often surrounded by mud in the past. The improvements should minimize the messiness — which some park visitors might actually miss. “That was your favorite part,” Cardinal said to one of her three pooches. “I won’t miss it. My car won’t either.”  Dogs, owners leap for joy: After months of work, Patterson’s Dog Run reopens, allowing pets to roam free. Photo by Elias Funez/Patterson Irrigator The previous dog fountain would leave standing water in a small pool for all the dogs to share. “The water would just sit and sit and sit,” Cardinal said. The new fountain drains quickly, so each dog gets a fresh, individual serving. Chesty, a 9-month-old pup named after a highly decorated U.S. Marine Corps general, seemed to enjoy the new digs. His owner, Eric Arriaza, took him to the park’s opening. “He loves it,” Arriaza said. Arriaza’s wife used to visit the sports park regularly before renovations shut it down, he said. Now that it is open again, he expects he and Chesty will join her for regular visits. “It’s a good place for him to play around, to socialize,” Arriaza said. “It’s nice they’re actually doing something for the dogs.” To reach John Saiz at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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