The new apparatus has a platform with a backstop featuring a carved cutout of a paw. There are ramps off both sides, and steps up the front shaped liked bones. The ramps have traction boards shaped like bones as well. The equipment is made of treated lumber, printed red and varnished. It was placed at the dog park Sunday and almost immediately a dog jumped up on it, according to a Facebook post.

“I had seen some things on Pinterest and I discussed it with Dale (Alessandrini). He found someone that wanted something to do for the park. I was pretty excited,” Friends of City Park President Caroline Sullivan said. “They’re making a second one, too, but I don’t know if it will go in the smaller park or if that will go in the bigger park, too.

“The second one will be painted blue. I chose the cutout and I love the colors. … They did a beautiful job. I definitely want them to do the second piece,” she said.

The final costs won’t be know until after the second piece of equipment is finished.

Bumi and Suki get encouragement from their owners, Rachel and Cory Firestone of Kingsford, as they try out the new equipment in the dog park at City Park in Iron Mountain. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photo)

While the new apparatus has received positive reviews, it may be a learning curve for some of the dogs. Rocky, owned by Zach Larson of Kingsford, had some trouble figuring out the ramps Thursday.

Rachel Firestone of Kingsford said she loves the new equipment. She was at the park with her husband, Cory, and their dogs, Suki and Bumi.

“We got really excited when we drove by and saw it,” she said.

The project was funded by the Saturday in the Park event held each summer. Since starting the event 13 years ago, it has brought in thousands to fund projects at the park.

Over the years, they have added playground equipment. Last year they redid the floors in the park’s big building, donated money so the small building utilized by the cross country skiers could be refitted and the roof replaced, and also helped fund upgrades and a new roof for the building used by the bocce league.

The 14th-annual Saturday in the Park will take place on Friday and Saturday, July 17-18. Friday will have music by Counter and Lawson from 5 to 7:30 p.m., followed by Polar Blues Band from 8 to 11 p.m. On Saturday, folk, Americana and bluegrass band A Place to Land will perform from 3 to 5 p.m.; Todd Wangerin Project from 5 to 7:30 p.m.; and OZ from 8 to 11 p.m.

Last year the group purchased equipment from the former Ice Cream Station and again plan to offer hot dogs, nachos, pretzels and snow cones. Other refreshments will be available as well.

Money from concession sales also goes back to the park, according to Sullivan. Two local food trucks, Mama’s Mangia and Sliced and Stacked, will offer a variety of their specialties for the weekend.

They will have the inflatable bounce house and obstacle course available for children to use at no cost, and they hope to have the mechanical bull back on site for the event.

Cost for the two-day event is $15 per person, and free for children 12 and younger.

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Marguerite Lanthier can be reached at 906-774-3500, ext. 85242, or mlanthier@ironmountaindailynews.com.