Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton A grand opening for the Woofington Dog Park is set for August 22 at the park, which is adjacent to the Warren County Visitor Bureau building in Starbrick.

The Woofington Dog Park is set to celebrate its grand opening later this month.

It’s been dog years in the works with the kickoff set for Sunday, Aug. 22.

“Woofington Dog Park is completely free to use from dawn to dusk,” Rocco DelPrince explained. “Park maintenance will be made possible by sponsorships and donations.

The park is located next to the Warren County Visitors Bureau building on Route 6 in Starbrick.

“The ceremony will begin at 12:30 p.m. with some comments about the organization, recognition of the founding sponsors, and an overview of the rules,” he said. “We’ll proceed with a ribbon-cutting directly afterwards.”

The group, a nonprofit organization, will be raffling in excess of 80 baskets sponsored by businesses throughout the county. Food trucks will also be at the event.

“Immediate needs for the park include additional seating options,” DelPrince said.

“We’re looking for bench sponsorships at $1,000 each. All the benches will have the same color scheme but be personalized and placed on park grounds for their normal lifespan and come with a 50-year warranty.”

Anyone interested in sponsorship is asked to email warrendogpark@gmail.com.

Dog park patrons can sign up for free on the group’s Facebook page — Woofington Dog Park — or complete a paper copy at the event, which is open to dogs, as well.

“Between now and our grand opening event, please take the opportunity to make sure your dog is fully vaccinated and licensed according to local laws,” DelPrince explained.

“Understand that we may have a larger than normal population of dogs at the event,” he added. “As much as we’d love to have everyone and their best friend at the event, we understand that some dogs may not be comfortable in such a large group. Please use your best judgement on whether to bring your dog to the grand opening.”

Proceeds generated by the event will benefit the park’s general fund tohelp cover the costs of maintenance and improvements.