Leesburg Plans Loudoun's First Public Dog Park

Over the past decade, Leesburg's population boom created dense communities of townhouses and apartments. The density brought people closer to many amenities, but it was tough on the area's four-legged residents. Dogs could not roam freely on the small lawns found in so many Leesburg subdivisions.

Lydia Best's four dogs outgrew her home in the Potomac Crossing community.

"We didn't have a fenced-in yard, so we didn't even have a small area where they could run and play," said Best, who owns a pet-sitting and dog-walking business in Leesburg.

Last week, efforts by Best and other Loudoun County pet owners who have lobbied for a public dog park for eight years paid off. The Leesburg Town Council unanimously approved plans Tuesday to build a dog park at Olde Izaak Walton Park on the east end of Davis Avenue.

The facility, on three-quarters of an acre, could be built by December and open in May, officials said. It will be Loudoun's first public dog park.

Many Loudoun pet owners travel to Reston to use a dog park there. Although it's illegal, some dog owners let their pets run freely on the open grounds of Ida Lee Park.

Mary Harper of Leesburg, a longtime dog park supporter, said the new facility will give dog owners a legal place to let their pets roam off-leash.

"The people that are involved in this project are very concerned with their dogs," Harper said. "It's a place for them to go safely, where they're not violating any ordinances or restrictions."

Supporters of the project also pointed to the sense of community a dog park can create, saying dog owners will have a place where they can share pet diet and grooming tips.

"It kind of becomes a resource center for all things animal," Harper said.

Leesburg Parks and Recreation Department officials have looked at possible sites for a dog park since 2005. They first considered allowing designated off-leash hours at one of the town's 16 parks.

Last year, town officials considered building a facility at the privately owned Morven Park. That attempt failed after neighbors complained about the prospect of increased noise, pollution and traffic. The Town Council also expressed concerns about the cost. The 10-acre dog park would have cost up to $470,000 to build and included plans for walking trails.