Downtown Milwaukee's first ever dog park is here after ten years 🐶

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Downtown Milwaukee's newest park is something to bark about!

The area's first off-leash dog park officially opened to the public on Thursday, Aug. 21 after years in the making. 

The project came to life as a combined effort between private companies and the City of Milwaukee. 

"A lot of residents had to leave town before this to actually an off-leash park," said Third Ward Business Improvement District Executive Director Paul Schwartz. "That no longer has to happen for the downtown residents of Milwaukee. This is going to be the social hub of connectivity between people and their pets." 

On Friday morning, the park was filled with dozens of animals happily sniffing, playing, and exploring.

"I think it’s really cool that the city is really taking into account how much we love our dogs and how important it is to have dog-friendly spaces," said Melissa Margolis, who had brought her mini goldendoodle, Rowdy. "A lot of us millennials put high value on dog-friendly activities, so I think it’s really nice to have this opportunity and very thankful that they put this together.”

The 23,000+ square foot park features water stations and fully fenced in areas for both small and large dogs.

"I’m just happy to be able to walk two blocks away and come here instead of just driving to the other side of the town," said Elvis Her, who was joined by Remy, his German shepherd. "Saves me a lot of time and it's good for him."

The park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. near the intersection of Clybourn and Plankinton under I-94 heading east.

If you want to visit, you do need a Milwaukee County dog park pass, which can be found here.