Chattapoochie Park Picked for Name of Dog Park

Duluth citizens overwhelmingly picked "Chattapoochie Park" as the name of the dog park to be built at Rogers Bridge Park near the Chattahoochee River. Mayor Nancy Harris announced the winning name at the Feb. 14 Duluth City Council meeting. 

Chattapoochie Park received 374 votes out of the more than 800 votes cast in the dog naming contest. The closest contender was K-9 Court with 185 votes.

”The dog park votes far exceeded our elections," Kathy Marelle, director of the Duluth Parks and Recreation Department,  jokingly commented. The department sponsored the contest.

The city's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board had reviewed about 100 initial names that had been submitted by citizens to the dog park naming contest and narrowed the list to the top five for public vote. 

Tom Dolly and Jennifer Wilson, who separately submitted the winning name, received Petco gift bags and certificates.

The top five names were “Chattapoochie Park,” “Happy Tails Park,” “Waggin’ Trails,” “Paws Place,” and “K-9 Court.” Voting on the top five names ended Feb. 4.

The three-acre dog park at Rogers Bridge Park near the Chattahoochee River will consist of one acre for small dogs weighing less than 20 pounds to play and exercise and two acres to accommodate large dogs weighing more than 20 pounds.

The city council in December selected a company to design the park. The contract to create the park is expected to be let in May, and construction is expected to begin in June, Marelle said, with the park opening in October. Design and construction costs are being provided by SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) funds. 

The dog park is included in a revised master plan for Rogers Bridge Park that was adopted by the city council in 2010 after an additional 10 acres was added to the now 23-acre park. The dog park has been much requested by citizens.