Oahu dogs will soon have a new, off-leash park to mingle and romp in at Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park in Waipio.

City officials held a blessing this afternoon for the large, fenced-in dog park, which features a one-of-a-kind parallelogram design with separate areas for big and small dogs, drinking fountains, sprinklers, and new grass.

Due to the landscaping maintenance period, the 12,800-square-foot park is not expected to open to the public until February.

“This dog park is going to be an important addition to our community,” said Honolulu City Council Chair Emeritus Ron Menor at the blessing today. “I know it’s going to be well utilized by many dog owners who live in Central Oahu and will greatly enhance this regional park. In addition, this park will forever stand as an example as a great idea which began with the community and which became reality…So I’m really looking forward to welcoming our four-legged friends to this dog park in the future.”

Menor said he worked with his constituents since 2013 to make the park happen, in addition to helping to secure funding for the project. The new dog park was built with a contract of about $636,000 awarded to Artech Construction Group Inc.

Support for this project came from multiple community groups and neighborhood boards.

Officials first broke ground on the new dog park, located at the makai end of Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park where Paiwa Street ends, in January.

When open, it will be the seventh off-leash dog park operated by the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation.

It is one of several new dog parks the city rolled out this year, including a temporary one at Mother Waldron Neighborhood Park in Kakaako, a new one at Kalo Place Mini Park in Moiliili, which resulted from a public-private partnership the Hawaiian Humane Society.

Last year, the city opened a new, off-leash dog park at Aala Park as part of a public-private partnership with a nonprofit group called the Aaala Dog Park Association.

“It is always exciting when we are able to finalize a new facility for the benefit of the public, especially in such a central and popular location as the Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park.” said Managing Director Roy Amemiya. “Dogs are valued members of many island families, and this park will allow our canine friends to have a place to run, jump, and play in a safe setting for both the owners and their pets.”