A ribbon cutting made it official when the Dr. Vicki Schneider Lake Dog Park opened Friday.

Located beyond right field at The Ballpark at Jackson, the 11 acre park includes areas for small and large dogs with agility courses and water features.

“When I received a call indicating the park would be in my name, I was so humbled and honored,” Vicki said, “The Boyd Foundation is making a difference in entrepreneurship, education, child and animal welfare.”

Vicki is the director of community development at West Tennessee Healthcare, and The ‘Dog Park Dash Grant’ is a program that was funded by The Randy Boyd Foundation, and awarded $25,000 grants to communities across Tennessee.

Randy Boyd, the president of the University of Tennessee system, said about 100 dog parks have been constructed throughout the state in a three-year period – with one $100,000 grand prize.

“I have a lot of roots in Madison County, I could not have been more thrilled when a couple of years ago an unbiased group of judges said the grand prize winner was Jackson, Tennessee,” Boyd said, “We want to make Tennessee the most pet friendly state in America, and this is the best dog park in Tennessee.

“This is incredible.”

There’s already some history to the facility, considering the brick columns at the entrance were repurposed from the Bemis Mill.

Harrison Forbes, who worked as the grant coordinator with the Boyd Foundation, believes the park will pay dividends for years to come.

“I know for some of you, it feels like it’s been a long wait, but It’s one of those things we are going to be proud of for many, many years,” Harrison said, “What we’ve ended up with is probably … in my opinion, the best dog park in the state of Tennessee and one of the best in the nation.”

(PHOTO: From left, Randy Boyd, Dr. Vicki Schneider Lake, and Harrison Forbes)

David Thomas, Twitter – @DavidThomasWNWS
https://www.facebook.com/NewsTalk1015/