After nine months of dedicated citizen effort, the dream of a dog park in Collegedale has become a reality. The dog park opens Wednesday morning after approval came at the Collegedale commission meeting.

“We had 20 dogs come during one short weekend,” said dog park coordinator LaDonna Coling, who was present at the meeting. She expressed her continued commitment to the project, including future fund raising efforts to install benches. Access to water is still not available, but will be coming soon, according to city Manager Ted Rogers.

The new dog park is located at the eastern side of the Collegedale Greenway.

Carrie Harlin, director of Students in Free Enterprise, or SIFE, at Southern Adventist University, thanked the commission for their support of the Movie in the Park event held Sunday night in Veterans Park. More than 1,000 people attended, and more than $1,300 was raised for clubs and organizations at the university. A Labor Day event next year was proposed because Sunday’s event was “very successful,” she said. The city provided trash cans, portable bathrooms, and advertisement for the screening.

Mont Wynfield resident Chad Pickering was back in front of the commission Monday night with a list of specific concerns about yard refurbishment. Mr. Pickering, whose yard is one of the most heavily affected by the city’s sewer project in Mont Wynfield, talked about Allied Civil Contractors, the company laying pipe for the project.

“I haven’t gotten a straight answer,” he said, referring to the contractors and the city about whether his yard would be put back together.

City Manager Ted Rogers said, “We don’t have answers to the questions you have right now. We’re probably not even fifty percent done.”

Mr. Pickering claimed the contractor’s cut through phone lines while digging too deep.

“I don’t’ want ya’ll addressing things that might be in the lawsuit,” said City Attorney Sam Elliot, advising commissioners not to comment on the situation. Mr. Pickering has filed a lawsuit against the city.

Vice Mayor Tim Johnson advised Mr. Pickering to compile his list of concerns and give it to city inspector Matt Smith. “After the contractors finish the job,” said Mr. Elliot, “our inspector must sign off to make sure they have put everything back as much as they can [in the yard].”

Commissioner Katie Lamb wanted the city to look into posting playground rules at more than one entrance to the Imagination Station. She specifically mentioned the age restriction at the playground. Dr. Lamb said she saw university students jumping from high places on the playground equipment and worried about the city’s liability. Mayor John Turner agreed to look into the request.

Also, the commission approved on second and final reading the annexation, zoning change, and a plan of services for the Collegedale Pump Station and city owned property on McDonald Road, as part of ordinances #752-756 and resolutions #357 and 358.

The commission also approved updates to codes concerning commercial buildings, plumbing, mechanical, fuel and gas, and fire.