Devoted volunteers celebrate 20 years!

WHITE ROCK DOG PARK

By Judy Babb

More than 20 years ago, White Rock Lake Dog Park was but a glimmer in the eyes of park founders Andie Comini and Melissa Tinning. They and other dog lovers would secret their dogs out to an area park and take the dogs off leash and let them run and play. That probably was Dallas’ first unofficial dog park and what they were doing was against city ordinance.

Tinning said about 15 to 20 people came with their dogs and the city pretty much pretended not to notice. That changed when The Dallas Morning News ran a story about the park, spurring others to bring their dogs. The numbers escalated, and the city could no longer ignore it — thus the push for an official park. 

That push started at the end of 1998 when the two women started pressing the city for approval. They had all the facts and were working on getting support. They told the city council and park board that Dallas was one of the only major cities in Texas (the other was Fort Worth) without a dog park. Houston, San Antonio and Austin all had multiple ones. 

As time passed, more and more people and groups gave their support. 

For the Love of the Lake and the White Rock Conservancy supported them monetarily and had the ear of the city council. Then-Park department member Gary Griffith supported the project and did all he could to make it happen. 

“Gary was so helpful, and we did give him a hard time,” Tinning said. “He was always such a gentleman and understood our frustrations. He worked for it.”

Still, it was not easy.

“Everybody claims the lake,” Comini explained. Many wanted a say, some quite strident in their opinions. Some worried the dog park would foul the lake.

Tinning tells about Marci Novak who created the group For the Love of the Lake. Novak, who is afraid of dogs, invited Tinning to a meeting. Tinning explained how the dog park would work and the value of it to the community. Still some skeptics doubted. Then Tinning’s husband came in with their 11-year-old Golden named Saxon and announced that this was one of the dogs that would benefit from the park. A group “Ahhhhh,” followed the dog’s arrival. 

Finally, Griffith was able to secure a part of the park that had been dredged. When he first unveiled it to Comini and Tinning, it was full of trees, shrubs and snakes. It would have to be cleared and fenced.

June 8, 2001 was the date the hard-fought-for White Rock Lake Dog Park had its official ribbon cutting. Despite her fear, Novak was there for the celebration and came again when the group got lighting, which allowed the park to be used after dark.

“We christened the lights by tapping a pole with a dog biscuit,” Tinning said with a chuckle.

The first iteration of the dog park had no paths or places to sit. But it did have a chain-link fence that would keep the dogs safe from traffic.

While the road to getting the dog park came with pitfalls and occasional anger from residents, Comini had positive things to say about working with the city and people in the park department.

The dog park was an instant hit. As many as 1,100 people bring their dogs each week. Some venture from as far as 30 miles away to visit the regional lake, which offers so many recreational opportunities.

Comini and Tinning talk about how the dog park builds relationships and helps with healing.

“At first, people just looked at their dogs and didn’t talk to each other,” Comini said. “But now it’s so easy to talk to people. Just ask ‘which dog is yours?’” They could also say pick up after your dog.

She talked about the people who came to the park after 9/11 and during the pandemic. “They would come to watch or talk and pet the dogs,” she said. “It was a healing place.” A lot of these people were elderly. 

The current dog park doesn’t much resemble the first one. Gone is the chain link, replaced with wrought iron fences and a series of gates that, when people close them, keep the dogs safe. That is one of the irritations for the dog park founders — that and people who don’t pick up after their dogs.

Other changes at the park are the concrete pathways that make the place handicapped accessible as well as keeping people out of the mud, and the benches, which allow owners to watch their dogs from a shady spot. The park also has water fountains for the dogs and swimming pools, which allow owners to refill the dog bowls for their pets. The park also has a dog launch, which allows dogs to romp in the lake.

Getting and taking care of the park wasn’t always easy. Residents Jim and Marv Witter helped early on selling hot or cold drinks depending on the season and T-shirts. And while a lot of people helped, die hearts Peggy Compton and Stephen Foster are still involved 20 years later.

No big celebration is planned for the 20th anniversary because of COVID-19, but every day is a celebration for those who use the park. It’s open Tuesday through Sunday from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

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