ALAMOSA — In Alamosa’s newest park playmates are welcome to splash in the pond without a swimsuit, enjoy a snack on the grass — and fetch a stick.

The City of Alamosa held a grand opening and ribbon cutting on Thursday at its newest park — Blanca Vista Dog Park.

“Welcome to our newest recreational amenity,” Alamosa Parks & Recreation Director Andy Rice said as park users strained at the leash to get in and check it out. Rice said retired Parks/Recreation Director Heinz Bergann conducted much of the planning for the dog park, and the city public works and parks department crews built the park and the fence for it.

“This was a public driven facility,” Rice added. He said area residents asked for a dog park with water access, and the Blanca Vista Dog Park was the result. The park is located at the southern end of Blanca Vista Park on North River Road across from Cattails Golf Course.

Alamosa Mayor Ty Coleman said the park came about as a collaborative effort, and it will be a wonderful place for both pets and their owners.

“Dogs are our friends, and for many of us dogs are a part of our family,” he said. “It’s a great feeling having a place where families and dogs can come and play and have a good time.”

Alamosa City Councilor Liz Hensley said she personally will enjoy the park, as she has four-legged members of her family who have enjoyed the city’s other dog park, but this one will be closer to her home. “Personally we are going to enjoy this a lot.”

Alamosa City Councilor Jan Vigil thanked Rice and Bergann as well as the previous council for bringing this project to fruition. He said it had taken four or five years to get this completed. He said this was a perfect spot, with a view of Mount Blanca and access to the city’s trail system.

The four-legged residents attending the ribbon cutting ceremony concurred before enjoying a round of refreshments — dog treats for all.

Captions: Alamosa Parks & Recreation Director Andy Rice, right, holds the ribbon for Emily Webb to cut at the new Blanca Vista Dog Park in Alamosa on Thursday. Alamosa City Councilors Jan Vigil, left, and Liz Hensley and Mayor Ty Coleman, right, joined dog owners for the grand opening of the city’s newest park./Courier photos by Ruth Heide

A faint rainbow shines above dog owners eager to check out the new Blanca Vista Dog Park in Alamosa. The park provides lakefront access for water-loving pups and their owners.