Like many parts of the Southern End, Quarryville is home to scenic landscapes, sprawling fields and thick forests. The area is rife with places to hike, camp, picnic and enjoy the outdoors, but as many local residents have recently noticed, the town of Quarryville itself has few places where pet owners can let their dogs off-leash. After a local dog owner brought the issue the Quarryville Borough Council's attention, council member Susan Noel began working on a plan to establish a space for the Southern End's furry friends.

In March, Noel and five other members of the borough council formed a committee to conceptualize a new dog park, and they presented their design to Quarryville Borough's streets, infrastructure and parks committee. The committee unanimously approved moving the plan to the council in April, asking Noel's committee to conduct a survey to get the public's opinion on the matter. The survey was held on the borough's website and Facebook page, and it received more than 100 responses; only eight of them were opposed to the idea.

"There's no place here for people to let their dogs off-leash. The borough doesn't allow it just anywhere, and the nearest dog park is 20 minutes away in Oxford," Noel said. "I think it would add another community asset to Quarryville, and it would help dogs stay healthier and socialize." The proposed location is on the northeast side of the Southern End Community Association's (SECA) pool, where a large open area runs nearly all the way to Route 472.

Following the survey, members of the council requested a town hall meeting to offer information to Quarryville residents, answer questions and present the potential dog park design. The meeting took place at the Quarryville Borough building on June 10, and the council passed the proposal on the same day.

Now that the council has passed the design plan for the dog park, Noel and fellow committee members are proceeding to the fundraising stage of the project. The borough plans to fundraise the resources needed to create the park to avoid cutting into its standard budget. Noel said possible fundraisers include a joint event with SECA's annual Doggie Dip at the end of the summer and selling small metal bones that community members can purchase. Each bone would be engraved with the name of a pet and placed on a fence at the new park.

For more information, contact the Quarryville Borough at 717-786-2404 or office@quarryvilleborough.com.