Arlington resident Carol Gardner, tossing a tennis ball to her black and white Boston Terrier named Oliver, said she's been looking forward to playing fetch and other games at the new Rush Creek Dog Park for months.

On Saturday, Gardner and her furry pal Oliver were among the first to explore the features at Arlington's second public dog park. City and community leaders, along with a couple hundred residents, gathered to celebrate the dedication and grand opening of Rush Creek Dog Park, located at 1900 Valleywood Drive off West Pioneer Parkway.

Living only a few blocks away, Gardner said she plans to make it a daily routine to walk Oliver to the dog park so that they both can get their exercise and so the pup can enjoy some off-leash playtime.

"This new dog park has given me the opportunity to not only stay active with my dog, but to also enhance our bond together," Gardner said.

The Rush Creek Dog Park features nearly seven acres of tail-wagging fun with four fenced-in areas for off-leash play. The park, which is free to use, also offers drinking water fountains for humans and dogs, dog bone-shaped benches with shade cover, climbing boulders and security lighting and two parking lots with at least 60 spaces.

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

Additionally, the Public Works and Transportation Department replaced approximately 300 feet of sidewalk and repaired and resurfaced Valleywood Drive to improve access to the park.

Arlington's first public dog park is located at 950 SE Green Oaks Blvd. near the Arlington Animal Services Center and Southeast Branch Library.

To declare the new park open on Saturday morning, a German Shepard service dog named Ho'akoa jumped through a paper Rush Creek Dog Park dedication poster.

"Ho'akoa and I have been through so much since we met and I'm so happy and honored that he was chosen to do the ribbon cutting for the grand opening," said Sergio Salazar, a U.S. Army veteran and PetSmart dog trainer.

The fun didn't stop on Saturday. This week, Arlington resident Pablo Solis stopped by the park to let his Jack Russell Terrier named Cody stretch his legs. Solis said the dog park offers the right amount of space and amenities so that Cody, who lives in an apartment, can get the exercise he needs.

The four fenced-in areas for off-leash play is exactly what Dallas county resident Ashley Harbough said she was seeking for her Golden Retriever named Sandy. Harbough heard about the Rush Creek Dog Park through social media and said she's excited for the park to be open.

"It's hard to find dog parks in the Dallas area that are conveniently located with the right kind of fencing for off-leash play," Harbough said. "The look on Sandy's face when we first arrived to this park is priceless, she's so happy."

Rush Creek Dog Park

• 1900 Valleywood Drive
• Open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, except for Wednesdays. The park will be closed until noon on Wednesdays for maintenance.