MUSKEGON, MI -- Gloomy weather didn't stop pet owners from attending the opening of a new dog park in downtown Muskegon.

Downtown Muskegon PetSafe Bark Park, located at 793 W. Western Ave., opened Saturday, May 12. Pet owners and community members came out to celebrate the anticipated event.

"This is really nice," said Heidi Adams, who attended the opening with her 6-year-old black labradoodle, Bella. "It's a beautiful area to come and socialize."

Bark Park includes two areas, a small dog area and a large dog area, both with grassy fields that are fenced in.

As of now, the park is open only during daylight hours, but organizers hope to provide lights in the future. It will be open throughout the spring and summer season, and closed during the winter months.

Local vendors such as Must Love Dogs Boutique, Lindsay's Mobile Dog Grooming Salon, Ebby's Pet Bakery and Muskegon Kennel Club were at the opening giving away dog treats and toys.

Dave Alexander, executive director of Downtown Muskegon Now, an economic development agency, said the idea for a dog park sparked about three years ago. The board for Downtown Muskegon Now felt it needed to create a dog park in order to bring the community together and link the downtown to the neighborhoods, he said.

By 2016, they began the process of putting the fundraising together, which resulted in raising more than $100,000.

The park was funded through Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which provided a $50,000 grant if organizers were able to match the funds, Alexander said. They did this through Patronicity, where they did crowdfunding. The donations raised provided an additional $60,000.

PetSafe, a company that specializes in pet training products, also donated $25,000.

In the future, Alexander said they want to implement lights for the nighttime and snow removal so the park can be open year-round.

"This is community," Alexander said of Saturday's turnout. "This is community in a small town. We are trying to grow the strength of our urban experience and this is just one more aspect of it that's going to be real critical for our development going forward."

Sarah Sass, a committee member for Bark Park, said she wants to get the word out about the park and inform the public that it is now open.

"We're really excited about it," Sass said. "We're happy that it's finally here. People love this. People were giving really generous (donations) for this (project). Muskegon loves dogs."

Adams, a Muskegon native, said she has lived in different states that all had dog parks. After moving back to the area three months ago, she was thrilled to see one was opening in her stomping grounds.

"This is really nice, it's a beautiful area to come and socialize," Adams said. "(I'll) probably come weekly. It's fun to meet other dog owners and chat with people who are visiting the area to share with them what fun there is to do in Muskegon."

More information on the park or how to donate can be found here.