The park has been open since Dec. 15, but will officially open with a ceremony 10 a.m. Jan. 31. The park features separate areas for small and big dogs and fire hydrants for the dogs to mark their territory and was well-received by the people who went there. However, there were few people to sing its praises, and that's something proponents are working on.

"I've been to dog parks in New York City to San Francisco, so it will be used. We just need to get the word out," said Donna Pray, executive director of the Gilroy Foundation and owner of Reggie, a yellow Labrador retriever.

"He loves it," she said. "The first thing he does is mark his territory - and he wants to play with other dogs and chase them around. He loves to go to the dog park.

The dog park is covered with crusher dust, a more expensive version of which is commonly used in ballpark infields, instead of grass like the Morgan Hill dog park. This material also makes cleanup easier, said Pray. The park is surrounded by a tall fencing, but little shade. There are a handful of cleanup stations and benches for owners to take advantage of and fire hydrants for the dogs.

The total cost for improvements at Las Animas Veterans Park, including a picnic area and the dog park, was $171,118 but the actual amount for the dog park itself is not known or shown in the invoicing from the contractor, said Bill Headley, facilities and parks development manager.

"We didn't require the contractor to breakdown his one lump sum contact cost," said Headley.

Though most people enjoyed the park, the general consensus was that the city should add more trees.

"Trees are the only thing that I too have a concern about," said Pray. When the summer months come around, trees and shade are going to be necessary, she said.

Pray and the foundation have sold plaques on benches in the park and plan to sell plaques to put on the fences. The proceeds will be placed into the Gilroy Foundation's endowment fund, which will then be disbursed each year to help with the park's maintenance and expenses. The foundation just wants to make sure the dog park is not cut in the future because of budget issues, Pray said.

Pray has also put her money where her mouth is, and her dog's name where her dog is - Reggie has his own little plaque on one of the benches.

Denelle Collins, who was out Sunday afternoon with Kia, her 4-year-old doberman pinshcer, said she likes the new dog park.

"I've kind of been envious of Morgan Hill (for their dog park) but I didn't want to tote my dog all the way there," Collins said.

Collins said she lives just a few blocks from the park and was surpised, but glad, one day to find the dog park. She did not hear about the park beforehand.

"The dogs just get in there and play and have a good time. Kia doesn't seem to mind (the crusher dust). She's just happy she can run free," Collins said.

The area where the dog park is situated was "kind of an eyesore," said Lisa Gabrielsen, engineering technician inspector, adding that it was "necessary" to do something with the patch of park land that was dying and empty.

The changes are part of a park master plan, which also calls for tennis court renovations, a bike park and dozens of new parking spaces. However, these improvements will not be put into affect anytime in the near future, said Susan Andrade-Wax, former community services department director.

"We're not going to go out and build parks if we're cutting staff to maintain them," Andrade-Wax said, adding "it wasn't scheduled to happen anytime soon, even over the next 10 years."

The future improvements will also include a fuller, nicer dog park to replace the temporary park now being finished, Andrade-Wax said.

"It'd be like comparing a Hyundai to a Cadallac," she said.