Dog owners will soon have a new public park in the American Dream City where their furry friends can socialize, celebrate and play.

On June 28, the Arlington City Council approved a construction contract of up to $722,000 with Encino Landscape, Inc. to build the future Rush Creek Dog Park on West Pioneer Parkway. The seven-acre park, which will feature water fountains, dog wash stations, shaded seating areas and four fenced-in areas for off-leash play, is expected to open in Spring 2017, Parks and Recreation Department officials said. It will be located near the Rush Creek Linear Park between Park Springs Boulevard and Green Oaks Boulevard.

When complete, the Rush Creek Dog Park in West Arlington would be the City''s second public dog park. The Tails ''N Trails dog park, which is located at 950 SE Green Oaks Blvd. behind the Arlington Animal Services Center, has been open since 2007. The southeast Arlington park''s usage by dog owners from across the city has been consistently high, Parks and Recreation Director Lemuel Randolph said.

''People''s affinity for dogs is pretty strong. So many folks treat their dogs as family members, so that connection really brings about an environment where dog owners are looking for opportunities not only for their dogs to socialize but also for themselves,''Randolph said. ''We''ve seen a lot of friendships and relationships bloom through the existing dog park and we''ve had a consistent demand for this type of service throughout the city.''

The new park will be different from Tails ''N Trails in that one of the fenced-in areas will be available for customers to rent for dog birthday parties, weddings, dog training or other canine-centric private events. The rental fees will help offset the costs to operate the park.

''We''re really excited about this amenity, which we are starting to see more of in the parks and recreation industry. We certainly believe there is a demand for it,''Randolph said. ''We know people pay for party services for dog events. Why not the city? It''s a way for the City to recoup some of the costs for operating the dog park as well.''

Because the new park doesn''t have an established tree canopy, shade structures will be installed to provide visitors some relief from the heat.

The project will also include designated areas for large and small dogs, security lighting and a parking lot with at least 60 spaces.

Construction is expected to begin this month or in August and take about 150 days to complete. The Parks and Recreation Department will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the park, which aligns with the Arlington City Council''s priority to Champion Great Neighborhoods, next spring.

Arlington voters approved $500,000 for the Rush Creek Dog Park project in the 2014 bond election. The rest of the construction funding will come from park user fees collected by the Parks and Recreation Department.

The park was created after the City of Arlington used storm water fees to purchase and tear down the former Willows Condominiums on Pioneer Parkway, which were flooded and left uninhabitable by Tropical Storm Hermine in 2010.

Though funding hasn''t yet been identified, Arlington hopes eventually to open a third public dog park in north Arlington, Randolph said.

Click here to read more about 2014 bond projects in Arlington.