Part of a proposed 305-acre community park in Murrysville is going to the dogs. A "bark park," a designated, safe play area for man's best friend, is part of a final plan for the park that officially will be presented to Murrysville Council officially Sept. 20.

The bark park will be located in a wooded area along the west side of Farm Road, according to preliminary designs by Environmental Planning and Design, LLC. It's situated along a tributary of Steels Run Stream, which may serve as a source of drinking water and a place for dogs to cool off.

The controlled environment will be surrounded by a 4-foot-tall chain link fence and trees. Inside, it will be divided into three areas: one for small dogs, one for larger dogs and one that will remain fallow until grass in one of the other two areas needs to regenerate, said Betsy Aiken, president of the parks and recreation committee.

There will be play apparatus, such as a pipe to crawl through, a platform for jumping and waste disposal cans. The plans also call for two double-sided entrances to allow the dogs safe transition while going from on-leash to off-leash.

A completion date has not been set for any part of the Community Park, Ms. Aiken said. Details surrounding excavation and roadway construction need to be finalized. The municipality also is exploring the most cost-effective way to bring water to the park. Once plans are finalized, the municipality's Parks and Recreation Department will explore ways to fund the park's construction, including donations, grants and municipal capital from appropriations.

"We know dog parks are very popular. We've had quite a bit of enthusiasm on the part of Murrysville residents," Ms. Aiken said.