Oakmont resident Joe Scassera, 59, took his “grand-dogger” Ivy to the borough’s newly opened dog park to give her some fresh air after being stuck inside all day.

With the region under a heat advisory, most people are trying to stay indoors, but Ivy was getting some cabin fever, Scassera said.

“Just getting her out for a little bit. She ran a couple of laps, started huffing and puffing,” he said. “So I’m gonna take her home and water her down.”

The Chateau Beach Dog Park on Allegheny Avenue opened this week for dogs of all sizes, after heavy rain this spring brought conditions that were fit for neither man nor beast, according to Scot Fodi, Oakmont borough manager.

“To get the grass to grow, spring didn’t really help,” he said. “Yes, it’s when you plant. But it turned into monsoon season, so nothing could grow.

“We really didn’t feel proper having people say, ‘Hey, bring your dog here, make them a muddy mess.’”

Along with planting grass — which they plan to do again in the fall — officials brought contractors in to cut down several dead trees that were taking up real estate inside the park.

“After the trees were cleared and we did our final amenities, we (provided) two waste stations. We’re like, ‘OK, we’re ready,’ and we opened it up (Wednesday),” Fodi said.

Though the waste bags are free, Fodi did request people only take what they need so everyone can make use of the waste station.

A borough-led effort, the dog park gives local residents an opportunity to let their dogs roam leash-free.

The park spans roughly 1 acre with a black chain-link fence keeping the animals enclosed. There also is a separate area for dogs that weigh less than 30 pounds.

Both the smaller and larger dog areas have a double-door system, and leashes are to be kept on until dogs have entered the park, according to the rules posted on the fence.

The rules are visible on colorful vinyl attached to the outside of the fence, but Fodi said they are working to get more permanent metal signs.

There are no benches, Fodi said, so owners should bring their own chairs or spend time playing with their dogs.

The property is owned by the borough, but the original intention for the land was more ambitious.

The plan initially was to turn the riverfront property into a kayak park. The borough had received a $200,000 grant from the state, but initial project designs were expected to cost more than double that, so they shifted gears.

Though the dog park opened as temperatures were on the rise, Fodi still suspects it will get plenty of use, especially during evenings and early mornings when the weather is a little more bearable.

Though he doesn’t expect Chateau Beach will gain as much popularity as other outdoor spaces in the area, the borough is relying on word of mouth to prompt dog owners to check out the space.

“I don’t see it rivaling people playing at the future playground at Riverside Park, but just enough word of mouth that people wanna bring their dog out and interact that way,” Fodi said.

The Chateau Beach Dog Park is at 1045 Allegheny Ave. It’s open daily from dusk until dawn.