The dogs of Sullivan County have a new place to congregate. Members of the Mamakating Dog Park Committee celebrated the opening of “Central Bark,” at the Town Park in Bloomingburg last Saturday.

Despite the rain and cloudy weather, the event attracted many families and dog owners, as well as animal trainers and advocates. Donna Beickert, chairwoman of the Dog Park Committee, said they raised over $13,000, which paid for new chain link fencing, benches and pet waste stations.

All the money was raised through community fundraising like penny socials and pocketbook bingos. The Mamakating Dog Park Committee is still selling bricks on which the donors can have their name engraved. Beickert said future fundraising efforts would be to raise money for signage directing people to the dog park.

Central Bark is divided into two different areas - one for smaller dogs and one for dogs over 35 pounds.

“I live in Rock Hill and work in Wurtsboro, so the closest parks are in Middletown or up in Hurleyville,” Beickert said. She contacted Town of Mamakating Supervisor Bill Hermann to ask if they had space at the town park. He said that if Beickert and her volunteers could raise the money then the town would build it. “He was generous. It's almost two acres, but we raised the money ourselves. We did it!” Beickert gave a special thanks to fellow committee member Paula Valentine, without whose efforts she said Central Bark could not have been possible.

Diana Algarin and Mary Eriksen were there representing Bleu's K9 Rescue Inc., an all breed non-profit animal rescue organization that promotes the safe placement of homeless dogs into permanent loving homes. Bleu's K9 Rescue goes into schools to promote “project safe” which teaches kids how to safely interact with dogs

“There's no other group that goes around to schools and teaches. We feel that's our service to the community,” said Eriksen. “4.5 million people are bitten (by dogs) every year, and half of those are kids, so we've gotta get those numbers down.”

Algarin said Bleu's K9 Rescue does a lot to promote adoptions. “We're foster based only, we don't have a shelter, but we find homeless dogs new homes.”

Both Algarin and Eriksen agreed the dog park looked nicer than the closest one in Middletown. With other amenities such as restrooms, tennis courts and a gazebo, the park attracts visitors from all segments of the community. “I can't wait to bring the dogs here,” Algarin said of the new dog park section park. “It looks great.”

Beickert said she hopes the dog park day will turn into an annual event so they can help raise money for the cost of improvements such as lighting and a water fountain.