Two ceramic dogs bigger than any Great Dane stand at 750 N. Country Acres. One crouches with its front legs down, ready to pounce. The other stands on its hind legs and begs. Oversized ceramic balls sit scattered around them, along with tiles pressed with paw prints. Newton artist Conrad Snider fired the pouncing dog in two large pieces and hid the seam under a stainless-steel collar.
The sculptures are the most visible piece of a park the west side spent years asking for. A count of dog licenses is what finally made the case for it.
Nine thousand licenses and a drive to Meridian
In the summer of 2022, west Wichita had no dog park. A west-side dog owner told The Wichita Eagle that the closest one he could find was "like 11 to 12 miles away," on Meridian in north central Wichita. In the same story, District 5 Council Member Bryan Frye said he had heard requests for a west-side dog park through seven years on the council and eight on the park board. District 4 Council Member Jeff Blubaugh said the subject kept coming up at his district advisory board meetings.
Frye then asked city staff how many dogs were licensed on the west side. The Eagle reported that the answer surprised him.
| Area, per city staff figures reported in July 2022 | Approximate dog licenses | Dog park at the time |
|---|---|---|
| West Wichita: ZIP codes 67212, 67205, 67209, 67235 | 9,000 | None |
| Area served by the Chapin Dog Park | 6,700 | Chapin |
| Area served by the Meridian dog park | 4,800 | Meridian |
The west side had nearly twice as many licensed dogs as the area around the Meridian park, and its own residents were driving to Meridian. "The demand is certainly there. The number of dog licenses certainly proves it," Frye told the Eagle. Those numbers count only licensed dogs, so the total number of dogs on the west side was likely higher.
From council vote to ribbon cutting
The license numbers moved the request into the budget. Getting from there to an open gate took most of three years.
- August 15, 2023. The City Council voted to start the Country Acres project and adopted a bonding resolution. When Frye asked whether the $750,000 figure covered land acquisition, Tim Kellams of Public Works and Utilities said it did, and that staff were confident the amount would cover what they wanted in the park.
- December 4, 2023. At a District Advisory Board V presentation, the city showed $750,000 for construction and $50,000 for art in the approved 2023–2032 capital plan. At that point the city was estimating construction for the second and third quarters of 2024.
- May 14, 2025. The park opened with an 11:30 a.m. ribbon cutting. City spokesperson Megan Lovely told The Wichita Eagle that the final cost was $800,000, covering design, land acquisition, construction, art and administration. Early estimates had ranged from $350,000 to $750,000.
- August 26, 2025. The city unveiled Snider's sculptures at the park.
At $800,000, the final cost came in $50,000 above the top of that early range, and it covered the whole project, from land and design through the art.
Why the city chose this corner
The city's December 2023 presentation explained in plain terms why it chose Country Acres. West Wichita was "currently a dog park desert," and District 5 had the most dog licenses in the city. The site already had slopes and shade, was close to apartment and townhome communities, and could be reached easily from N. Ridge Road and W. Central Avenue.
The presentation gave one more reason. It cited the "poor condition of duplicated assets from the former HOA which were not built to city standards." So part of the site's appeal was that it needed rebuilding anyway, and the dog park turned it into something new.
The mature trees count for more than they might seem to. New parks usually take years to grow shade, but this one opened with it. The city's facility page lists those trees along with shaded shelters and benches, fountains for both dogs and owners, an on-site dog wash, gravel entrances to cut down on mud, a new irrigation system, on-site parking and several waste stations. In late 2023, KSN reported that the plan called for three off-leash dog pens, an entry plaza and a parking lot.
Gravel entries, irrigated turf and a rinse station are built for a lot of dogs coming through every day, the kind of traffic the license count predicted.
The $50,000 by the fence
The art budget came through Wichita's Percent for Art Ordinance and the capital improvement plan, according to KSN. Snider's own project list calls the finished piece "It's a Doggy Dog World." He also pressed some of the tiles with the paw prints of his own dog, Harry.
In a profile by The SHOUT, he described what he wanted the two dogs to show:
"I spent a lot of time trying to make sure the faces were happy, sort of excited to see you."
The SHOUT also reported that at the unveiling, Snider climbed on and straddled the back of the pouncing dog. The sculptures are big and sturdy, and they were made to be part of the park rather than something to look at from behind a rope.
Eighteen months in
The licenses predicted heavy use, and early reports suggest that's what happened. On September 2, 2026, the District 5 Advisory Board met at the Westlink Branch Library on Bekemeyer Street. The meeting minutes note that "Country Acres Dog Park has really good attendance."
If Country Acres is busy, the nearest alternative is still on Meridian, but it has also been rebuilt. K-9 Rooster Dog Park at 2127 N. Meridian, near 21st Street and Amidon, reopened after renovations with its own ribbon cutting two days before Country Acres opened. The Eagle described it as about a 10-minute drive from Country Acres. Wichita has six other dog parks besides Country Acres: one south, one southeast, two north, one downtown and one in Delano.
Before your first cold-weather visit
These basics apply to dog parks across the city, not only Country Acres:
- License and rabies shot. Wichita requires dogs to have a current rabies vaccination and a license renewed every year, according to the City of Wichita FAQ.
- Late-night hours. Under the city's park ordinance, park property is closed from midnight to 6 a.m. unless a location posts different hours.
- Posted rules. Each park's sign has the final word. As an example, the city's Naftzger Bark Park page requires dogs to be at least 5 months old and handlers to be at least 14. It allows up to three dogs per visitor, requires leashes when entering and leaving the fenced area, and does not allow aggressive dogs, sick dogs or dogs in heat. It also points users to Wichita City Code §6.04.218. The city's Country Acres listing includes a photo of the park's own rules sign, so read it at the gate.
- Winter amenities. Before a muddy November visit, check whether the fountains and dog wash are running, since the city's listing doesn't say whether they're shut off in winter.
If you have a favorite time of day at Country Acres, or you're curious how a park like this sits next to the homes near it, I'd love to hear from you. I'm happy to talk dogs, parks and west Wichita anytime. Nancy Jo Statton | Let's Connect
