Plans And Support Bring Dog Park Closer To Completion

By Kendra Bobowick

Supporters have the land and a plan to make Park and Bark dog park a reality, but still await funds.

About $14,000 out of an estimated $50,000 needed to purchase and install fencing has already been raised, said RoseAnn Reggiano, assistant director of recreation. In place are the deed from the sate for roughly two acres of land below the Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard fields where Trades Lane tapers off to a dirt trail, architect Jim Palmer’s rendering of how the park might look, and plans for parking and future fundraising.

“Right now, we’re looking to get the fence up and started,” Ms Reggiano said. She also looks forward to a final site plan, which members discussed Tuesday, April 19. She hopes plans are in by the upcoming May 21 Strutt Your Mutt fundraiser to benefit the park. “That’s what I want!” she said. She hopes to display the documents to guests.

Once the final plan is prepared, she can take it to the Planning and Zoning Commission for final approvals. With the site and plans secured, she said, “I hope we’ll get [more fundraising] money coming in after that.”

Until that time, Dog Park Committee members anticipate that Strutt Your Mutt will be a “big” fundraiser, Ms Reggiano said, and later spent time Tuesday preparing for that date.

 

The Park

Ms Reggiano passed out photocopied drawings of a rectangular, fenced-in plot with a small dog area upslope, and greater area for larger dogs to run. A four-foot fence was drawn around the site with 12-foot-wide gates to allow access for maintenance vehicles. Both the small and large dog areas are shown with separate entrances. Boxes along the fence indicate benches alongside trash stations and a water hydrant.

Commenting, committee member Joy Brewster said she had been out to the site, made measurements, and, “It’s not as large an area as I had thought.” She also had other ideas about how to configure the small and large dog areas within the park.

She would rather see the small dog area down-slope, saying, “More mature people tend to have small dogs, generally speaking,” which means the lower elevation is easier for them to use. She likes that the dogs can be separated by size. “If you have the dogs loose and they’re large and someone has a small dog, they think it’s a toy.”

Katherine Simonds suggested that the group’s ideas get back to Mr Palmer for consideration.

Susan Washburn was concerned that four-foot fences might not be tall enough. “I had a shepherd that could get over a six-foot fence …” she later stated that it would be her responsibility “to watch my dog,” in the park. Ms Reggiano said, “I know [my dogs] won’t be thinking about the fence; they’ll be playing with the other dogs.”

Agreeing, Ms Simonds said, “They’re not interested in getting out,” saying that they would rather play with the other dogs.

Members expressed concerns over park use, and whether residents would need park stickers. “There will be park stickers for cars,” Ms Reggiano confirmed, adding that the stickers are free. But they agreed that the site would be self-policing.

 

The Fundraiser

The upcoming May 21 fundraiser at the Fairfield Hills campus welcomes dogs and owners to an afternoon of demonstrations, competitions, dog-lovers’ activities, and more, with a host of vendors and participating local businesses already signed up. Posted in various locations, including in front of Mt Pleasant Hospital For Animals where it sits now, is an eight-foot-tall sign shaped like a dog bone that indicates how much money has been raised for a park, and how far supporters have to go.

Members also took home Strutt Your Mutt lawn signs that they hope to place around town with the proper permission. “I was hoping to get them out … I know it’s early yet,” said Ms Simonds. Turning to look out the window from the Newtown Municipal Center meeting room Tuesday, Ms Reggiano said, “We can put them in Fairfield Hills.”

The event will include demonstrations of sheep dogs herding sheep in one area, while Dr Rakesh Vali of Mt Pleasant Hospital for Animals will offer microchipping — a small identifying chip embedded in the dog’s skin, which can help locate a lost dog’s owners — and a separate nail clipping area.

Coming as a surprise to Ms Reggiano, she learned that Dr Vali would be closing the hospital for several hours in order to participate in the event with several staff members.

“He is a huge supporter and wanted to be there,” said MaryAnn Viesto, Ms Reggiano’s sister. “That is great,” said Ms Reggiano. Food, refreshments, and promotional items will be available during the event. Registration starts at 9:30 am, and the event begins an hour later.

The Strutt Your Mutt event details are available on the NewtownParkandBark.org website.