Gardener Helps Dog-walker with Bum Knee at Locke County Park

Ellie Rice of Spring Lake Park was partway down the path to the dog park at Thursday afternoon with her big dog Kozmo when her knee popped.

Usually it pops back, she said, but this time it wouldn't—and it hurt. Rice couldn't walk any farther, either to the dog park or back to her car.

That's when Sarah Carr came walking by, taking a break from hoeing her plot at the Fridley Community Gardens for some water at the drinking fountain at the other end of the park.

Carr took Kozmo's leash and held back the 16-month-old shepherd-mix, as other dogs and their owners passed by on their way to and from the dog park.

Rice's knee never did pop back, but she managed to get back to the parking lot, and Carr continued on her mission to get a drink. (She said she doesn't know if the water at the community gardens is good for drinking.)

to shorten the long drive at Locke County Park and move the dog park from the far east end to a larger space in the middle.

For now, dog-park visitors are parking their vehicles close to the park's west end and walking to the enclosure at the east end.