Riverbank dogs, and their owners, were disappointed to learn that the brand new Dog Park did not open here as scheduled this past weekend.

There were a few who came by on Saturday, hoping to be able to check out the new facility that’s located at the far west end of the trail in Jacob Myers Park.

The fences and gates were set, new and more numerous benches – and picnic tables – were installed, ready to go. The chain link fencing sported signs indicating where small dogs (under 35 pounds) and large dogs could run and the rules governing the facility. There are new watering stations, for both pets and humans, inside the area.

All seemed to be in place, ready to go, but a weather forecast from earlier last week indicated there would be rain, so the opening was postponed by the Riverbank Parks and Recreation Department. But the expected rain did not come. Instead, skies were partly cloudy to sunny last Friday when the grand opening was originally slated.

The Dog Park is located at the west end of Jacob Myers Park, where the trail loops around and returns eastward to its starting point. The grassy meadow area was picked by the parks department and an advisory group that have been together working on the project for several years.

It’s kind of a ‘Park within a Park.’

It is adjacent to one of the Park Host installations, and is built where the meadow used to be the site, the last couple of years, that Shakespeare in the Park was staged more than 10 years ago.

The addition was funded by recent State Park grants.

Parks and Recreation officials had not rescheduled the ribbon cutting as of press time. They invite those with questions to call 209-863-7150.