Dog owners and their canine companions have a new space to play at the City of Mesquite’s largest dog park – the Leash Free Zone at Copeland Park.
The 2.5-acre space is designed to take advantage of the natural landscape and trees at Copeland Park. The Leash Free Zone is divided into two separate spaces for large and small dogs and offers restrooms, a shaded seating area, dog washing station and dog training agility equipment.
Opening the Leash Free Zone is the first phase of development for Copeland Park, located at 2250 Creek Crossing Road. The next phase will include a playground, picnic pavilion and nature walking trails. Copeland Park will be 11 acres total when completed.
Plans for Copeland Park began almost 10 years ago. In 2014, siblings Buddy Copeland and Ruth Ann Copeland Buchanan donated 40 acres of the family’s land to the City. Twenty acres was set aside for future park development. The land had been in the Copeland family for more than 100 years.
“Thank you to the Copeland family and to the citizens who pushed for this park. We are excited that the dreams and plans for Copeland Park are becoming reality,” said Councilmember Debbie Anderson, who spoke at the park’s ribbon cutting on Oct. 14. “New residents coming to the City are looking for quality amenities like dog parks and splash pads. Both of which – I’m proud to say – have opened in Creek Crossing this year. While it took a little longer than we hoped to finish this first phase of Copeland Park, the final product is beyond expectations.”
The Leash Free Zone at Copeland Park and Mesquite’s first spray pad, the Spray Zone at Clay Mathis Park, are located in the City’s growing southeastern sector.
Mesquite is home to two other dog parks, the Leash Free Zone at Town East Park and the Leash Free Zone at Alcott Station Park. To learn more about the rules for humans and pets at Mesquite’s Leash Free Zones, visit www.cityofmesquite.com/LeashFreeZone.
To learn more about the City of Mesquite’s parks system and community events, visit www.cityofmesquite.com/parks.