NEW RICHMOND, Ohio — Several furry residents of New Richmond were able to scope out the site of a future dog park Thursday morning. At the event, village leaders met with Nestlé Purina PetCare representatives who provided the necessary funds to get the long-awaited project off the ground.
“It’s absolutely going to enhance the neighborhood,” New Richmond resident Louise Frost said alongside her Great Pyrenees, Tank. “There are quite a few people who don’t have fenced in backyards, myself included.”
“People are smiling, tails are wagging here in New Richmond and Clermont County with excitement,” Greg Roberts, Village Administrator for New Richmond, said Thursday.
Nestlé Purina PetCare, which is in the process of investing $550 million toward its new factory in Williamsburg Township, provided a $20,000 donation to the village and its future Elko Memorial Dog Park. The park is being named in honor of New Richmond’s former police K-9 Elko, who passed away in 2021.
“Anytime we can partner together and bring people and pets closer together with spaces like this, love the vision, that’s what we like to do as an organization,” the factory manager for Purina’s new site, Casey Hansen, said.
But New Richmond leaders were quick to point out the dog park is part of a comprehensive plan to revitalize the small community that sits along the Ohio River.
“We’ve got a lot of dynamic things happening in the village, a lot of positive things happening and this is just another part of some of the great things that are happening in our town,” Roberts said.
“We’re very optimistic and even with the last couple years of COVID the growth has been unbelievable and we think it’s going to continue,” said Robert Lees with Renaissance New Richmond, a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to improving economic prosperity and cultural development in New Richmond.
“We have a wonderfully bright future here with our river being a major asset for recreation and commerce,” Lees said.
The village is still raising money to help pay for the full cost of the park, but it hopes to start construction this summer and complete work by the end of 2022.
You can find information about fundraisers and how to donate here.
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