Groveland Life by Kathryn Sibly
Groveland’s New Dog Park in the Works
A few years ago I remember signing some sort of petition in support of building a dog park (or maybe showing an interest in it, I can’t remember now). Nonetheless, I did not hear about it again until last November. As I was doing my final SMT delivery of the 2009 (I was going to spend December out of the country), Lynn at the Hotel Charlotte mentioned the dog park and said it was really coming along. She put me on the mailing list, and I tucked the idea in the back of my head to use for a future column.
Upon my return to Groveland, I decided to check out the dog park myself. I had no clue where it was and ended up calling The Hotel Charlotte to get directions. As I turned off of Ferretti Road onto a little road I’d never heard of, I came upon a parking lot full of cars, and behind it, a baseball diamond. I had only found out a few days prior that a baseball diamond existed in Groveland. There were even bathrooms and a small playground. Off to the right was just what I was looking for.
So there I was on Saturday morning at the site of the new dog park. As I looked around, I saw twenty or so volunteers busy clearing space for the proposed park. Some were picking up logs and sticks, while others were using pickaxes trying to extrude big rocks from the ground. Elsewhere a group of people worked on removing low hanging tree limbs. There was even a monster weed-wacker (that’s what I like to call it). It was the combination of weed-wacker and lawnmower, and I’ve never seen anything quite like it before.
I also spied Goose The Dog, our honorary mayor, wearing his favorite yellow tie. He was busy ‘supervising’ the volunteers and making sure that their actions were solely ‘dog friendly’. As his handler Lynn says, (since he’s a dog, he supports all things dog and dog-related.) Along with Goose, she has been very helpful with the organizational and administrative side of the dog park project.
One thing I will say about Groovey-Land, if enough people think its important, it will get done. Our museum/library was built on donations, lots of volunteer hours, and the deposits from recycled cans and bottles. Similar can be said of the skate park and new youth center, which is presently being built. Last school year, we citizens decided that we didn’t like our school board. So we had a special election to vote them out of office, out they went, and in came a whole new board.
Therefore, it is no surprise that many locals are volunteering their time and energy to something they really believe in. I was able to speak to John Knudson who first had the idea of building a dog park. He told me that four years ago he and his wife moved here from Joliet, Illinois expecting to find a dog park. He went to the Pine Mountain Lake Administration and asked where the dog park was. John was promptly told there was no dog park, and that he should build one. And that’s just what he’s doing.
In telling me about the dog park, John also stated that there are not many places around Groveland to safely walk a dog (on or off a leash), and there is no doubt a lack of sidewalks up here. He also pointed out that a dog park is great for socialization for dogs and owners alike. Furthermore it will give dogs the chance to run around unleashed and get some real exercise. In showing me the plans for the park, he explained how one part will be for small dogs, and a much larger part will accommodate big dogs. Much of the park will be grass, but there will be bark in some areas. The trees that are already at the site will remain where they are.
Last Saturday was the first official volunteer work day. Enthusiastic volunteers were in a positive mood as they worked. Everyone I talked to commented about the high volunteer turnout. I think it’s safe to say that most of the volunteers are dog owners themselves, so they have a vested interest in this project. Though I presently do not own any dogs (I do have two cats though), I am an animal lover and understand the need for a dog park.
After what I’m sure has been a long, arduous planning process, it seems the end is in sight. Lynn has set a target opening date of June 1 – that is, if everything goes according to plan.
