County hosts ribbon-cutting ceremony for dog park in Halls
By Ken Lay
Knox County celebrated the opening of a dog park at Clayton Park with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday morning.
The park is located in the Halls Crossroads community on Norris Freeway,
The grand opening culminates a project that the county began in 2020 and the dog park is the fifth and final park to open.
It’s a natural facility, meaning that the county left the trees and fallen logs in place.
Knox County Parks and Recreation Senior Director Joe Mack emceed the brief ceremony but one person who played a vital role in the project, Mayor Glenn Jacobs, was absent due to a prior commitment.
“Glenn Jacobs won’t be able to join us today and I’m sorry that he’s not here,” Mack said. “He played a big part in this and we’re lucky to have a mayor that understands the value of recreation.
“We learned from COVID how important parks are and the role they play in the community. It was one of the only places people could go. And we’ve seen that continue to grow since 2020.”
Randy Boyd of the Boyd Foundation was also present in North Knox County. The foundation formed a partnership with the county and the City of Knoxville. It donated $500,000 and the goal was to make Knoxville and Knox County No. 1 per capita in dog parks.
The county took surveys to determine where the public wanted the dog parks.
“This shows just what can happen when we as the county communicate with the people,” Mack said. “In order for us to provide the services the community wants, we have to get their input.”
Boyd said that dog parks can bring people together.
“The dog parks are great for dogs,” Boyd said. “But they’re about more than just dogs,” he said. “So many things can divide us right now, but dog parks bring us together. They always have benches where people can watch their dogs play.
“That’s where friendships are made. They have benches where you can see rich and poor, or sometimes you can see a Democrat and a Republican sitting together.”
