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Dog parks continue to expand across San Antonio. They help build community where neighbors can share dog stories with each other. Dogs can exercise freely, and humans can connect and engage socially.
Director Homer Garcia III of San Antonio's Parks and Recreation Department said Monday's official opening of the Beacon Hill Dog Park at 1032 W. Rosewood is the city's 21st dog park.
"What we see is a demand for connecting community and celebrating their furry families together," he said. "We tend to think of playgrounds, where people can bring their kids out. But we also have a growing pet community and family."
The half-acre dog park includes off-leash areas for dogs and doggie drinking fountains.
District 1 San Antonio City Councilwoman Sukh Kaur brought her dog Hera to the park ribbon cutting. Hera means "diamond" in the councilwoman's native language of Punjabi.
She agreed with Garcia that dog parks help bring neighborhoods together.
"I think dog parks are a great way to bring community together," she said. "We are a community that loves pets and so, it's an asset to this neighborhood where the dogs can come out and play freely, while the community gets to enjoy it together."
Members of the Beacon Hill Community Association turned out for the park opening. The neighborhood sits to the north of downtown, off of Hildebrand Ave.
The project was funded through a voter approved bond. Find a full directory of dog parks here.