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By Ian Gustafson

Safe Place for pets

Penhold Community Leaders Society asking for help to raise funds for new dog park

Mar 14, 2025 | 1:49 PM

The Penhold Community Leaders Society is calling on the community for donations and assistance in fundraising for a new off-leash dog park.

While the previous administration focused on the completion of Critter’s Corner playground project, the current mandate and focus is on creating a safe place for pet owners to allow their dogs to roam off leash in Penhold.

“We want to have a safe place where owners and pets can play and interact and not have their pets run over by cars,” said Chair for the Penhold Community Leaders Society, Christopher Carriere. “That’s very important for us. It allows them to do some running, playing, and possibly meeting other dogs in a safe environment.”

This will be Penhold’s first dog park and is an important project to Carriere who lost his dog after it was hit by a vehicle while running off leash.

Carriere explained the majority of people visit an open slough area on Lincoln Street and let their dogs run off-leash. However, this isn’t a safe option for all the dogs in the community. The soon-to-be dog park will be located near the public works building on the other side of Waskasoo.

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Right now they’re in the early stages of the project and are looking for volunteers and sponsors.

They hope to hold a raffle and silent auction if any local businesses have items they can donate to the cause. Currently, they’re working with Ma & Pa’s Bakery Cafe, who agreed to donate the proceeds up to $8 for those who buy packages of frozen cookie dough. They’re also holding photo session at the Penhold Multiplex over the Easter weekend.

“We have other people stepping up and there’s a whole bunch of suggestions that I’m trying to run with to put some funding together so the people of Penhold aren’t out of pocket for the dog park,” he added. “We’re trying to alleviate all the costs by using volunteers and donations.”

The land for the dog park has already been allotted and by applying for funding and grants they hope to raise money for lighting, benches, picnic tables, and for ongoing land maintenance. They’re also in the process of planting trees and handling the landscaping.

The park will not only benefit local dog owners but also those from out of down or are just passing through. They’re expecting people from Innisfail and Springbrook to utilize the park.

The idea for the dog park came in early 2024 and after a dog park committee was formed, town council listed it as one of their projects in the 2025 budget. Phase one is expected to be developed this year.

“We’re just in the fundraising stages. The area has been allotted and work has started. It’s the generosity of the people of Penhold and anyone in the surrounding area that would like to help, it would be greatly appreciated. We don’t have a huge team but we’re looking for people to come out and support what we’re doing.”

Carriere has taken over the reigns of the Penhold Community Leaders Society and would like to be continuously fundraising for different projects within the community. The goal would be to try to help the community as often as possible while also preventing higher taxes.

He encourages the public to attend their meetings, which take place on the first Tuesday of every month at the Multiplex at 7 p.m. in the town administration area.

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