"I'm bored," says Paige the beagle. "I can hardly wait "til the Rec Park Dog Park opens."

On August 15, 2013, the Gettysburg Area Recreation Authority (GARA) became chartered under the Pennsylvania Municipal Authority Act on August 15, 2013. It's a partnership between the Borough of Gettysburg and Cumberland Township, an independent government organization that operates recreation programs and maintains park services for the citizens of Adams County.

Two years ago Recreation Park (Rec Park) in Gettysburg, Pa., asked residents what additional amenity they desired for the park. The 52-acre park already had many recreation opportunities: seven baseball diamonds, a football field, a rec center, an outdoor amphitheater, two basketball courts, tennis courts, two playgrounds, a skate park, three pavilions, a 20-station outdoor fitness trail, gardens and shuffle board.

What amenity did they desire? The No. 1 request was for a park for man's best friend. Rec Park reports that less than an hour after its official fundraising campaign for a dog park began, GARA had raised more than $7,000.

GARA hopes to raise $25,000 by April to cover the costs of a perimeter fence, water fountains, benches and shade trees, plus fountains, jumps and tunnels for the canine corps.

Rec Park expects the dog park to open by June 1, 2014.