The Biggest Little Dog Park in Downtown Reno has been a gathering spot for Downtown dog owners for the last year and a half.
"There have been a lot of ideas for this space but we made ours a reality," said Sherron Elledge, one of the volunteers who helped make the vision come true.
The spot on Commercial Row features work from local artists and craftsmen. There's a bike rack, a custom arch handcrafted by Tutto Ferro, and murals of pet portraits on two of the vent stacks. Those have been a big hit.
"I see people coming down here all the time taking pictures of their kids and grandkids right next to their pet on the wall," Elledge said.
This spring, local artist Hannah Eberle will start painting pets on the two remaining vent stacks, and spots are on sale now for $200.
"It's a wonderful gift and if you don't have the resources to do it by yourself, go in with your brothers or sisters," Elledge said. "Or in the instance with my yoga class, her dog is on this wall and I organized all of the students; we all chipped in $5 and she got a wonderful gift."
The money from these murals will help maintain the park for years to come.
"It's going into now a maintenance fund for the park; we want it to look as nice ten years from now as it does today," Elledge said.
Some of these portraits are memorials.
"Kona, the Newfie on the end, was a service dog and passed away last March," Elledge said. "And for her owners Lou and Linda, she's there, so it's just very special. We have portraits of other pets that have left us and when they owners see them they are absolutely thrilled."
The murals are touched up every year.
"Every year she'll put a top coat on to help preserve them for as long as possible," Elledge said. "Murals aren't something that last forever but we're going to do our best to make these last as long as we can."
For more information, go to https://www.tmparksfoundation.org/biggest-little-dog-park
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