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Whether they liked it or not, local dogs were dressed in their Halloween best Saturday.

S.P.A.R.K. (Start a Park for Austin’s Respectable K9s) kicked off their fundraising drive for Austin’s dog park with a canine costume contest and open house at the recently-approved dog park location, at the south end of the 500 block of Second Street SE just north of the Cedar River.

“I think it’s something the community has needed,” said pet owner Matt Cizik. “We want to be here to do what we can to support it.”

Matt Cizik, Brought his cavalier King Charles spaniel to the event dressed in a lobster costume.

Cizik said it would be beneficial to have more space to play with his dog.

“I think it will be a great location,” he said. “It seems to be centrally located within the community.”

S.P.A.R.K. member Martha Hauschildt said the next step for the park is money. The group is looking to raise about $25,000 to install a fence around the roughly 3-acre dog park.

If all goes according to plan, the fencing could be installed next spring.

“It’s not just for the dogs; it’s a quality of life issue for the citizens, who are the dog owners,” Hauschildt said.

“There’s way more dog owners out there than people realize,” she said.

Megan Kajin brought Mazie, a part Rottweiler and part mutt she described as a “Mutt-weiler,” out to check out the park.

“I’m excited for the dog park,” she said. “It’s what Austin’s been needing for a while.”

Kajin lived in Phoenix, and she said there were great parks there to socialize dogs.

A dog park has been in the discussions for years, but Mayor Tom Stiehm said he’s confident this will be the time it becomes a reality.

“This time I have no doubt that this is going to end up in a dog park,” Stiehm said.

More important than the doggy costumes, Stiehm said people at the event had a chance to see a little what the dog park could look like.

“Everybody’s having fun down here. I think that’s what a dog park is,” said Stiehm, who brought his black labs, Saddie and Annie.

Hauschildt said they’re still looking for more S.PA.R.K. members and more fundraising opportunities.