MOULTRIE, Ga. – Always looking for ways to add to the options available for Colquitt County residents, the Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation Authority has plenty of ideas. It’s just a matter of putting those ideas to paper, then finding the other kind of paper — the green kind — that can make them a reality.

Such is the case with the “Bark Park.”

What is the Bark Park? As the name suggests, it’s a concept for a dog-walking park. According the MCCPRA executive director Greg Icard, the “Bark Park” is in the preliminary planning stage, but one definitive factor is a potential location at Knuck McCrary Park.

While the exact amount of acreage for such a park hasn’t been mapped out, Icard said there is sufficient acreage in Knuck McCrary not currently being utilized.

“It’s something we can do inexpensively, and create an added feature,” said Icard, noting the interest in a dog park has existed locally for quite some time. He said it’s growing even more with the addition of PCOM South Georgia where students with pets move into the county but live in places like apartment complexes without a lot of greenspace for walking.

Icard said the “Bark Park” would be fenced in and divided into sections for bigger and smaller dogs. He said they would provide toys for the dogs and run a water line to the park.

Once a lay-out and budget is prepared, Icard said it could take around three months to complete the project. It’s the budgeting part that will take the most time, and while there are partnerships involved with the project, Icard said the bulk of the financial part will be handled by MCCPRA personnel.

This being the case, the MCCPRA is hosting fundraising events. Icard said the Southwest pool stayed open past the usual closing time (the start of the school year) with warmer weather through September, and there was a day for dogs to play in the kiddie pool. On Halloween, proceeds from the Wag-N-Walk dog costume contest will assist with funding of the “Bark Park.”