(Pictured: Rep. Mike Sparks, Debbie Heughan, Parks and Rec Supervisor David McGowan, Alderman Matt Church, Randy Boyd, Mayor Jason Cole, Montique Luster, Events and Athletics Coordinator Felicia Mayes and La Vergne Public Relations Anne Smith)
A dog park is officially in the works now in La Vergne thanks to a generous grant from the Boyd Foundation.
The City of La Vergne is one of many across the state of Tennessee that was selected to receive a Dog Park Dash grant worth $25,000 to establish a dog park in the city. This year the foundation received nearly 50 applications from across the state. 30 communities were selected, totaling $900,000 in grants from the foundation.
As part of the grant application, city officials selected a 3-acre plot of land on Stones River Road near the Senior Center and will soon begin working on design plans. There is no time frame at this point on when crews would begin work on the dog park.
The Tennessee Dog Park Dash, funded by the Boyd Foundation, was established in 2018 and hopes to make Tennessee most pet-friendly state in the country by awarding $3 million in total grants over three years. In 2018 37 communities were awarded a total of $1 million in grants.
“Jenny and I have been blessed in many ways, and our for pets led to a company that has given us more success than we ever dreamed possible,” said Randy Boyd. “It seems only right to give back to the pets and the people we owe so much to.”
“Thank-you to the Boyd Foundation for their generous donation. We are excited to move forward with this project,” said David McGowen, Supervisor with La Vergne Parks and Recreational Department.”
“I appreciate, not only the generous grant which will help bring our community together. Serving on the Tennessee Business and Utility committee I have personally seen Randy Boyd when he served as Commissioner of Tennessee Economic Development work hard to help bring Sinomax Company to La Vergne. Sinomax employs over 350 people and is one of the largest investments by a Chinese firm in Tennessee,” said Tennessee Representative Mike Sparks (R) Smyrna.
