The West Hartford Dog Park Coalition will hold a pop-up dog park on Nov. 18.

Courtesy West Hartford Dog Park Coalition

By Ronni Newton

West Hartford dogs will have an opportunity for leash-free playtime on Saturday, Nov. 18, at a pop-up dog park that will be held in Southwood Park.

Courtesy West Hartford Dog Park Coalition

The main event begins at 10:30 a.m., and playtime will last until 1 p.m., however, for the first time ever there is a special time set aside for small dogs.

According to organizer Suzi Craig of the West Hartford Dog Park Coalition, from 10-10:30 there will be a special time set aside for small dogs only. Larger dogs can arrive after 10:30 a.m.

Southwood Park, on Southwood Drive, is located in the southeast corner of West Hartford, and is a completely fenced-in park. It’s in a quiet residential area, surrounded by homes, and many people don’t even know it exists.

To reach the park, take Shield Street to Custer Street.

To minimize the impact on the neighborhood, dog owners are asked to park along Custer Street, and walk their dogs on leash to Southwood. The entrance to the park is at the eastern end of the street. See the map below for details.

The park is 100 percent fenced-in, Craig said.

The event is being held in cooperation with West Hartford’s Department of Leisure Services. Director Helen Rubino-Turco said, “Pop-ups are a great opportunity for people to learn abut what dog parks can provide for the community.”

“We want to thank our fellow dog owners for their patience. We’ve been hard at work with the Mayor, Matt Hart our new town manager, and especially West Hartford Leisure Services, to coordinate more pop up events and discuss future plans,” Craig said. “We hope to see you on Saturday, and lots of happy pups, too!”

For more information visit the West Hartford Dog Park Coalition event page. For more information about the small-dog-only portion of the event, click here.

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Location of Southwood Park and parking. Courtesy West Hartford Dog Park Coalition