A place for dogs

Rose Laurant has a Bible in one hand and a leash in the other.

With the advent of St. Tammany Parish’s first dog park, her afternoon activities may change.

Seated on the seawall of Lake Pontchartain, longtime Mandeville resident Laurant reads her Bible while her Jack Russell terrier, one of three terriers she owns, naps near her feet.

“It would be nice to let him roam around,” Laurant said, but that has always been a distant possibility since St. Tammany, like many other Louisiana parishes, has no canine-dedicated park. Until now.

Initiated by resident Sarah Pokorny, a petition with more than 300 signatures caught the attention of Pelican Park officials.

They donated a tract of unincorporated land, and the Pelican Bark Park was founded.

A nonprofit committee was formed, and plans began for the Northshore’s first dog park.

Now the committee needs donations, thousands of dollars worth for construction costs, committee member Vaughn Maurice said.

“We probably need a minimum of $150,000 to 200,000 for the initial construction,” Maurice said, adding fundraisers will be held in the future to help raise money.

Some of the features intended for the park include fenced-in areas for both large and small dogs to roam freely, water features, benches, parking, shade structures, a pavilion and a bone-shaped walking path.

“It sounds nice,” Mandeville resident Becky Hill, owner of three dogs, said. “But it would depend if your dog is aggressive or not.”

Although it’s still in the early planning phases, a Web site has been constructed at www.pelicandogpark.org that includes donation information and an artist’s rendering of the park.

Measurements for the park have yet to be determined.

“It will be a great thing for the community and dog owners alike,” Maurice said.

Until enough funds are collected and construction begins, Laurant said she’ll continue visiting the Lakefront for peaceful outings with her canines.