A group of passionate dog owners has called for lighting to be installed at the Drouin dog park.
Cassandra Philippou said lighting would expand park usage, boost safety and allow those who work to visit on dark winter mornings or nights.
Ms Philippou described the fenced park as "a dark cave" despite lighting at the adjoining Bellbird Park back carpark and walking path along Settlement Rd.
After gaining feedback from fellow park users and support from 135 people online, she took her suggestion for solar lighting to Baw Baw Shire as part of budget submissions.
Whilst not successful this year, she believed the project could act as a trial for a roll out at dog parks across the shire.
Ms Philippou said lighting the park would enable use after 5pm during non-daylight saving months.
A group of dog owners gathered at the park recently to support the lighting proposal, with a majority agreeing it would boost use and animal safety. "It just frees up your time a bit," Bronwyn King said. "It's not fun standing here in the dark, it's not fun for the dog."
Due to work commitments, several said they had to leave work early just to make it to the park before dark. Summer is a different story, with many dogs and their owners filling the park well after 7.30pm and staying to enjoy the sunsets.
Linda Grande, who moved to the region in November, said the dog park offered more than just a space for dogs to exercise and play.
"This has been my social connection," Linda said. "I don't know if I've met anybody else outside of the dog parks. These are my mates."
Linda said her dogs had glow collars and balls but worried about their safety when using the park after dark. However, she held no concerns about her own safety when visiting the park, noting users all looked out for each other.