The Perth Dog Park at Darou Farm, which was helped into existence by a PDCF Community Grant, celebrated its First Anniversary this month. The Perth Dog Park was a dream that began with a small group of dog owners back in 2021 who decided that, if Perth was to have a dog park, then they had better figure out how to build one!

Tracy Lettner and Tania Cadeau were part of that first conversation, and they have been working tirelessly ever since, along with a group of other volunteers, to create a space to build community for both dogs and their owners. Tracy and Tania are dog lovers, but they had the broader community in mind when they were thinking about what Perth needed.

Tania lives rurally, outside of Perth, and understood that dog owners living in the countryside need a place where their dogs can socialize. Tracy worked at a local dog groomer’s and heard owners wishing out loud that there was a place for dogs (and their owners!) to spend time together. Both women knew that there were many dog owners in Perth who didn’t have the luxury of a yard for their pets.  So, in August 2021, Tania, Tracy and some other caring citizens hosted an event they called “Dawgust” at Last Duel Park. Over 100 people showed up to share their thoughts on what sort of dog park they wanted built in Perth.

“We wanted this to be a collective effort and to build something that people felt was theirs from the beginning,” said Tracy.

After seeing how much interest there was, the newly formed Friends of Perth Dog Park set up tables at farmers’ markets, the Perth Festival of the Maples, the local Moonshine Festival, and other community events to raise support and money for a park.

In 2024, after research, petitions, letters, and several presentations to Perth Town Council, Darou Farm, on the Rideau Ferry Road just outside of Perth, was approved for a dog park location. The Town of Perth told organizers that the Town could pay for half of the park’s construction if Friends of Perth Dog Park raised the other half.

Through many individual donations, as well as a PDCF Community Grant of $12,500, Friends of Perth Dog Park met their goal and construction began. Perth Dog Park at Darou Farm officially opened the first weekend of October, 2025 and has been bustling and wagging ever since!

“The park is only as good as the people who use it,” said Tracy, “And they users are amazing. They have donated benches and trees, fill up the bag containers and bring jugs of water for the dog bowls. It is a real community effort. It is run on goodwill.”

It is such a great place for networking, connecting, building community,” added Tania. “People who would never have known each other because they live in different parts of town or out in the country have met, found common interests, and become friends.”

“It’s like an outdoor community hall,” said Tracy. “We like to say that we meet as neighbours and leave as friends.”

The park’s development was divided into three phases. With the help of a two-year, $20,000 PDCF Community Grant awarded in January 2026, phase one and two (fence, lights, signage, benches, an accessible port-a-potty, trees and a wooden shelter) are almost complete. Phase three will see more trees planted, a bigger parking lot, a water tank for dispensing water for thirsty dogs and a pathway through the park that can be navigated more easily. One day there may even be play structures for the dogs and an expansion of the park with a more wooded area for walking.

Friends of Perth Dog Park is currently a non-profit organization and is going to be seeking charitable status. For people interested in learning more, you can visit their Facebook page Friends of Perth Dog Park at Darou Farm or, better yet, take your favourite canine to the park and enjoy the beautiful space, some exercise, and meeting new people!