Lebanon’s new dog park opens June 6 with phased access for residents

The opening weekend is shaping up like a real neighborhood dog outing: Coleman Memorial Park Dog Park will greet handlers and their dogs on Saturday, June 6, from 10:00 a.m. to noon, with the city inviting both residents and non-residents to the grand opening. For owners of sprint-first, think-later dogs, the pitch is simple: Lebanon is adding a dedicated off-leash space built for running, socializing, and controlled play, not just a patch of grass.

The park itself will not open all at once to everyone. For the first 30 days after opening, use will be limited to city residents while the city processes registrations, handles access credentials, and works through startup issues. After that, non-residents who register will be able to apply for access through city channels. On opening day, applications will be available on site, giving handlers a chance to get in early before the rollout widens.

The new park sits on the former Gingrich Memorial Pool site, which was demolished in 2021, and covers more than 55,000 square feet. Plans for the dog park were first announced in January 2025, then slowed by bad weather and construction-related setbacks before the city moved toward the June 6 opening. Mayor Sherry Capello has said the city was still finishing maintenance, site cleanup, signage, the access-control system, camera setup, operational testing, and staff preparation ahead of launch. YSM Landscape Architects of York designed and oversaw the project.

Handlers stepping into the park on day one should watch the layout closely. The city preserved the old swimming pool stairs as a route down from the parking lot, a small piece of the site’s past now repurposed for dog-park traffic. Bill No. 20 also splits the park into separate large-dog and small-dog areas, with small dogs defined as under 30 pounds, which should make the space easier to read for owners of fast, rough-and-tumble dogs that do better when their playmates are closer in size.

Access will be managed through registration and a Paw-Pass, with proof of rabies, distemper, and parvovirus vaccination required. The ordinance limits use to two dogs per handler, bars children under 10, and bans aggressive dogs, smoking, alcohol, food, glass containers, and professional dog training without permission. The fee structure is $30 a year for city residents, $45 for non-residents, and $10 for each additional dog.

After years of buildup, the park is opening as more than a civic amenity. It is a controlled, local outlet for the kind of dog that needs room to burn energy hard, and on June 6 it will finally feel real the moment the first leashes come unclipped.