After several years of chasing its tail, a long-lost dog park was given the command to “sit” at Elm Street Park in Arroyo Grande, where city officials and Five Cities Dog Park Association members were on hand Saturday to dig the first holes in the turf.

The groundbreaking ceremony launched improvements that will include separate areas for large and small dogs inside a double-gated fence at the south end of the park.

It also marked the end of a long, hard trail for champions of canine freedom.

Five Cities area dog owners have been on the hunt for a place to let their pets roam leash-free since 2005, when Grover Beach ran dogs and their humans out of Costa Bella Park, where dog owners had gathered to let their pets play.

After the Arroyo Grande City Council approved the Elm Street Park site in January, the owners of an adjacent apartment complex filed a lawsuit seeking to block the park until a full environmental impact report was conducted. A judge rejected that demand in June.

The dog park will be constructed using funds raised by the Five Cities Dog Park Association, which will also maintain the facility and make sure dog owners use it properly.

As a concession to park neighbors, the city will monitor the off-leash park and provide residents and the City Council with a report on its operation at the end of a year.

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October 5, 2008