Heavy Rains Turn Lakeland Park For Large Dogs Into Pond

LAKELAND, FL -- Pet owners will tell you there's nothing quite like the smell of a big, wet dog.

And, apparently, city of Lakeland officials agree.

Starting Tuesday, July 3. the city will close a portion of Dog Leg Woods Dog Park due to standing water in the large dog area.

The large dog area will be closed for about a week while Lakeland Parks & Recreation crews remove the standing water and work on a drainage solution to keep the area dry.

“We apologize about the inconvenience, but we need to get into the large dog area and fix what has become a drainage issue," said Bob Donahay, director of Parks & Recreation. "It is unbelievable how much rain we have received over the past two months. Standing water in the large dog area is not a feature that we want in the park, so we will be implementing a short-term fix and a long-term solution.”

The small dog area will remain open during the drainage project and all of the established rules for Dog Leg Woods Dog Park still apply. Visitors with large dogs are asked to not use the small dog area and adhere to the closure during the project.

Dog Leg Woods is the second city of Lakeland dog park that was opened March 10. It is a popular park that can be accessed off Three Parks Trail, adjacent to Cleveland Heights Boulevard. There is a 15-space parking lot near the park entrance and visitors can park in the south lot at Cleveland Heights Golf Course and use Three Parks Trail to get to Dog Leg Woods. Cleveland Heights Golf Course has established a dog-friendly back porch, so adults can enjoy food and drink as part of their visit to Dog Leg Woods.

Image via city of Lakeland