Editorial
Front Page - Friday, November 26, 2010
Collegedale Dog Park adds options, completion relies on community
Erica Tuggle
Josie, a Chihuahua and Dachshund mix, enjoys the leash free atmosphere of the Collegedale Dog Park. This park is a place for dogs of all sizes to play through the established obstacles and to interact with other dogs off the Collegedale Greenway, where they must remain leashed and with their owners.
- Erica Tuggle
Imagine not only organizing an event for all your friends, but their dogs, too, and establishing the place itself where the dogs can run freely while owners enjoy their pet and the company of pet-lovers.
This was the task that LaDonna Kolling undertook, and on Sept. 8, 2010 the Collegedale Board of Commissioners approved the park, the rules sign was posted and the Collegedale Dog Park was officially opened.
Collegedale had been begging for a dog park for a while when Kolling joined the process in January. At that time, there were only two dog parks in town. Kolling says that for Collegedale residents, these parks are 20 to 25 minutes away, the downtown dog park is very sunny and can get hot during summer months, and the Hixson dog park is large and overwhelming for some dogs and their owners. In this Goldilocks scenario of looking for the perfect dog park, Kolling says Collegedale appeared as the perfect location to create a park that complemented the two existing options.
In visiting the proposed sites and evaluating the parking situations, the group made the choice of the area just south of the Nature Nook on the Collegedale Greenway for their park. The area is tucked away, surrounded by trees and features large rocks that dogs can climb, a hilly natural turf to investigate and so much room to roam. The location also offers ample parking at the Nature Nook and the nearby soccer fields.
Kolling says she then purchased the domain of collegedaledogpark.com, created a group on Facebook and used these two sites to distribute information. She and her husband measured the area and prepared a preliminary equipment budget for the fencing and other needs that they submitted, along with several pictures of existing dog parks in the area, to the director of public works.
She says the next thing she knew, the fence had been purchased by Hamilton County, delivered and was installed in a joint effort by Hamilton County and the Collegedale Public Works Department.
The last step in this process was to ensure that the park would be a safe and fun place, and this involved establishing rules and posting these at the dog park. Kolling says she researched dog park rules and why they were in place before deciding which ones made the final cut, and has also posted the rules and their reasons on the Web site to help users of the park understand.
For example, she says, there is a rule of no choke, prong, or spike collars.
“This may seem like an odd rule; however, the reason for this is because these collar types can result in injury to its wearer, another dog, or a person depending on the situation,” she says. “If a choke collar gets hung on something while the dog is running, the dog can become choked.”
Kolling says people should also understand dog behavior and know their dog well before coming the park. There may be times when a dogfight could break out, but just as adults interject at a children’s park, it is important for owners to intervene in these cases, she says. She suggests, dogs not able to work out the issue and continue playing should leave the park for the day.
Although the Collegedale Dog Park may seem all wrapped up, there is still more work to be done for the park to be complete. The first priority for the dog park is to raise private funds to purchase a water fountain and benches. All funds donated to the dog park are tax-deductible and the need is just over $3,000 for the items. Those businesses or individuals who donate funds will have their name, their family’s name, or their dog’s name placed on the donor sign at the park.
Recently, supporters of the Collegedale Dog Park had an opportunity to work the doors of the Collegedale Wal-Mart to raise awareness about the park, and will also have a float during the Collegedale Christmas Parade to continue this effort. Kolling says they are looking for individuals with creative ideas to help build the float and walk or ride with their dogs during the parade.
Kolling says the most important thing for the users of the dog park to do is to pick up the poop.
“Poop issues are the No. 1 complaint and cause of dog parks getting closed,” she says. “Thankfully, the users of the Collegedale Dog Park have done a tremendous job of this.”
She encourages those who come to visit the dog park, whether they have a dog or not, to please bring spare plastic bags and place them in the pick-up stations.
For more information or to make a donation to the park visit www.collegedaledogpark.com.
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