COVINGTON, Ky. — Dog owners in northern Kentucky have a new reason to cheer. The city of Covington announced plans to open its first dog park. The facility will open at 1 p.m. on Dec. 2. and is next to the Kenny Shields Park at 9th and Philadelphia streets.

A small ribbing-cutting event will honor the occasion with community leaders and local government officials planning to attend. SFC Jason Bishop Memorial Dog Park will provide separate areas for small and large dogs.

The city named the park after Army Sgt. 1st Class Jason Bishop, the 1993 Holmes High School graduate who was killed by a bomb in 2006 while serving in Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division.

A dog waste station will also be onsite. That way, dog owners won’t have to supply their own bags for solid waste. One thing the park won’t have, at least at first, is a water source. While equipped with water fountains, they won’t be turned on until spring.

Park officials encourage owners to visit, and bring their own water until then. “The facility is structurally complete,” said Ben Oldiges, the city’s parks & recreation manager. “It seemed silly for the park not to be utilized throughout the winter months.”

Once the weather warms up, Oldiges said the park will really come into its own. He explained that a grand opening celebration will take place in March or April. It will include plenty of games, food trucks, activities, and “a real celebration of the site.”