One Great Year, One Great Park, One Great Community and One Great Big Bunch of Happy Dogs!

On Aug. 14, 2010, Violet Township officially opened the Violet Township Dog Park. The park is a result of a joint effort between the township and the community to provide the first off-leash dog park in Fairfield County. The community came together under the leadership of a nonprofit organization, the Friends of Violet Township Dog Park. The group led the effort for fundraising and planning the many aspects of a successful dog park.

The benefits of the dog park have been realized in the daily usage of the park, even in the extreme temperatures experienced this summer. It is not unusual to see 30 to 40 dogs and owners romping in the park on any given evening. Many users have formed friendships and know the names of dogs that visit on a regular basis.

The physical activity for the dogs, the benefits of pet socialization and the bonding of canine and human friends has been tremendously successful. Unofficial blogs and Facebook sites have been created extolling the benefits of the park.

It is gratifying to see so many human users of the park ensuring proper etiquette of their pets. The park has posted established rules that encourage responsible pet ownership and participation. Observance of these rules has been consistent and has created a positive environment.

People with questions about park maintenance, parking or other general issues have found the township staff to be very responsive when contacted.

The success of the Violet Township Dog Park has generated visitors from Lancaster, Reynoldsburg, Lithopolis and beyond. It has also driven other groups to begin planning and fundrais-