FARMINGTON -- Right now, three bare, 10-foot-tall trees donated to Davis County's Legacy Dog Park by a Northern Utah dog club don't look like much.
But come spring, the green vase zelkova trees, with a combined value of $800, will leaf out and offer shade for man and beast alike at the county's 20,000-square-foot off-leash dog park at 151 S. 1100 West, Farmington.
"We wanted to get them more mature, so they would provide shade more quickly," said Megan Hatch, Davis County Legacy Events Center fair coordinator.
Upon maturity, the trees could reach a width of 40 feet, she said. The unplanted trees currently stand upright just outside the dog park fence.
County officials are now waiting for the ground to thaw before planting the trees, which have a 2-foot-tall, 3-foot-wide base.
The three trees, to be planted around the perimeter of the park, were donated to the county by the Golden Spike Dog Obedience Club, which uses the county's dog park as well as its Legacy Events Center, Hatch said.
Dog club members also provide consulting work on what is the county's first off-leash dog park, officials said.
The species of tree is known for its ability to grow anywhere, Hatch said.
"We're not sure what kind of dirt we have down there (at the dog park)," she said.
But Hatch said she suspects the tree donation is more for the people who bring their dogs to the park than for the dogs.
Two Davis residents looking forward to the shade from the trees are Bountiful couple Frank and Kathie Greeno.
"It would be nice to have something in the park, but we'll take anything," Frank Greeno said.
The Greenos said they come to the park about once a week, "weather permitting," to give their Labradoodles, Maggie and Cosmo -- named after the character in Seinfeld, not the BYU mascot -- a place to run.
"We decided when sponsoring it that we wanted some form of shade there," said Bonnie Kilgannon, president of the Golden Spike Dog Obedience Club.
There is shade on the Farmington Creek walkway, which cuts through the Legacy Events Center grounds, Kilgannon said. Away from the creek, there is currently no shade.
She said the shade will extend the time dog owners use the park and the amount of time their dogs can socialize with other dogs.
Kilgannon said the donation to the Davis County Legacy Dog Park is in response to the county being dog-friendly by actively pursuing dog events, bringing in national dog shows and allowing the club to hold its dog agility and obedience trials there.
Most city parks in Davis County restrict dogs, Kilgannon said.
The county's off-leash dog park, on the south end of the events center grounds, opened in July and is free to the public.
The park is open from dawn to dusk and offers separate fenced areas for small and large dogs. No dog 6 months or younger is permitted in the park.
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