PORTLAND – People who opposed letting dogs romp unleashed through the Western Cemetery say the 171-year-old burial ground is returning to the quiet and contemplative place it’s supposed to be.

Saturday marked a new era when the cemetery in a densely populated part of Portland became off-limits to dogs.

The city has opened a new fenced-in area on Valley Street to give dog owners an alternative for letting their pets run and play.

The issue had been a divisive one in Portland. Dog owners said they made improvements to a neglected cemetery, but opponents said the presence of dogs was disrespectful to the dead.