OVERDUE MAINTENANCE & IMPROVEMENTS TO BARBARA HALL OFF LEASH DOG PARK

Unlike other parts of Barbara Hall Park the off-leash area has not been repaired, up-graded, or maintenance. Funding has always went to the other areas of the park. The off leash dog park desperately needs funding for agility up-grades, pea gravel refill and/or adding Astor turf, new irrigation system, revamped and extended south fence, the creation of a small dog park area, redesign and replacement to metal and chain link fences, additional lighting more bushes and existing fountain and benches minor repairs. PLEASE SEE ATTACHED WORD FILE THAT INCLUDES PHOTOS. FOLDER INCLUDES LARGE JPG References

overdue maintenance & improvements to Barbara Hall OFF LEASH DOG PARK

Proposal 2023

PARTICIPANTS: Barbara Hall Off-Leash Dog park Association

Barbara Hall Dog Off-Leash Park (BHDOLP) is one of the most used areas in the Barbara Hall park (BHP) by residents. This park has brought people together, created friendships and strengthened our community. We have done our own fundraising to purchase special event items such as a pool, tunnel, and jump bars. Dogs and owners love it so much that we are asking for permanent agility equipment in the park.

Because the city maintenance is nonexistent, we the residents that use the dog park do the everyday and seasonal clean ups. We fundraise to purchase the equipment needed and do our best to make the dog area safe for owners and the dogs. However, after years of neglect the park is currently in a state of major disrepair. The park surface needs replenishing or/and up graded. Fences need to be either redesigned, repaired, painted or/and replaced.

The things we are requesting will not only benefit the growing number of dog owners in the community, but it will also benefit our neighbors, visitors, and local businesses.

We are NOT the Barbara Hall Revitalization project

While considering this proposal, we are sure the Barbara Hall Revitalization project will be discussed and debated whether the dog area is part of revitalization proposal. We would like to take this opportunity to further explain why the Revitalization project should not be a considered factor when you are deciding whether to grant our proposal or not.

a.      The revitalization project may not include the dog park. Past funding received to the park has ignored and left out the needs of the dog park.

b.      Parks budgeting is used to repair damage caused by 519 event and damages caused by the homeless and drug addicts the 519 supports.

c.       The main purpose of the Revitalization project is to address the issue of safety in the park. For the most part the dog park is the safest part of the park thanks to the dogs and their owners who provide maintenance.

d.      In the past parks and forests, the city, and our local community center have regularly failed to repair and maintenance the dog park.

e.      We are always at the bottom of their list of priorities.

Contents

Overview.. 1

BACKGROUND.. 2

DOG PARK REQUEST. 3

DOG PARK AGILITY. 3

RESURFACING.. 3

SOUTH WOODEN FENCE. 4

REPURPOSE THE SOUTHWEST POCKET.. 4

NORTHSIDE METAL FENCE BARRIER. 5

PRIVACY BUSHES. 5

NEW ENTRANCE ON THE EAST SIDE. 5

.. 6

.. 6

REPAINTING AND REPAIRS. 6

LIGHTING.. 6

REPAIRING THE FOUNTAIN.. 6

NEW IRRIGATION SYSTEM... 6

EXPANDING.. 6

Expected Results. 7

COMMUNITY BENEFITS. 7

Conclusion. 7

·   Community dog owners have organized an unofficial association to promote the park, as well as to maintain the park.

·   We are a responsible group of dog owners in a very active dog park. We take pride in our dog park as well as the community and are dedicated to creating a safe and enjoyable environment for dogs and their owners.

·   We have a high volume of dog activity in the park.

·   The DOLP has held many dog park events and continue to support and be involved in our community.

o   Halloween  

o   Christmas party  

o   Summer pool  

o   Agility events  

o   Fundraiser to buy our own maintenance supplies such as shovels, brooms, rakes, leaf bags, garbage bags, gloves, and many other items.

o   Partnership with 519 who hosted a doggie Halloween costume event. 

o   We have raised money to help people with vet bills.

o   Promote local businesses.

o   We are proactive to improving the Church Wellesley neighborhood.

·   Members have been involved with cleaning, raking pea gravel back, snow removal from entrances and sidewalks, fall leaf raking, general cleaning, and overall maintenance of the dog park. Residents have also cleaned up dangerous littered such as human feces, syringes, drugs, and rat poison left by non-dog owners who frequent the 519.  

·   We have an Instagram and Facebook group with many members, which is used to communicate and organize events.  

·   We also encourage responsible dog ownership in the community. This includes picking up after your dog, keeping them on a leash in public areas, and not allowing them to engage with other individuals or dogs in an aggressive manner.               

DOG PARK AGILITY

Our dogs have little to no activities to do every day.

We Propose…

We would love to have permanent agility equipment for the dogs. Below are some options that take minimum space.

 RESURFACING

Over the years and due to unlevel surfaces the park is missing 75% of the original gravel. Effect of low levels of pea gravel

a)      Mud Puddles are created during wet weather.

b)      Tripping hazards are revealed from the under base material.

c)       Dogs have been injured by sharp base rocks.

d)      Urine and fecal odors.

We Propose…

Option #1

Complete Astro turf which includes proper irrigation system.

Options #2

Refill the pea Gravel.

Option #3

Mix of Pea Gravel and Astro turf area in the center of the park. The Astro turf barrier may slow pea gravel migration south. And/or Boulders as a barrier may help prevent migration of gravel. See photo below

SOUTH WOODEN FENCE

The whole south fence needs repairs and to be repainted. We would like to support local artist to paint the fence and capture the dog park essence. We envision pride colours in the background and dogs in the foreground. (Similar to the attached photos below.)

REPURPOSE THE SOUTHWEST POCKET

1. The hidden pocket at the west end entrance curves to the right out of owner’s view. Owners cannot see if the gates are left open or who is walking into the park.
2. This is also a popular spot for drug users and homeless to hide and use as a toilet. (Dog owners have had to clean up drug paraphernalia, garbage, rat poison and human waste.)

We Propose…

Repurpose the westside entrance to become a small dog park area that extends west utilizing the wasted space along the south side of the 519. We suggest astroturf as the base for the small dog park. This request includes additional waste bins, dog fountain, agility equipment, and a separate entrance to the small dog park.

The fence should also be extended west and the holes at the west gate should be filled for a level playing ground. We would also like to extend the dog park further west to give small dogs more playing area.

NORTHSIDE METAL FENCE BARRIER

1. The bottom deteriorated from dog urine.
2. Small dogs can escape through the fence bars.
3. Replacing the east fence and relocating the north east gate to the middle east side to accommodate the proposed construction site on Cawthra Square.

We Propose…

1. The 1-2-foot concrete barrier along the bottom of the metal fence. This should protect the fence from dogs urinating on the metal fence which causes it to deteriorate thus extending the life of the fence.

We would also like to add wire netting along the lower fence to further protect dogs from escaping through the bars.

 This will preserve the fence from being damage from dog urine. It should also prevent gravel loss.

PRIVACY BUSHES

The west side of the north fence is completely blocked by bushes, but over the years the foliage has dwindled down to almost nothing along the east side of the north fence. Dogs have had things thrown at them, spit on, and been provoked by the people on the other side of the fence. We believe replenishing the bushes could lower these interactions. 

We Propose…

Red leaf barberry bushes between the north fence and sidewalk will provide coverage to prevent unwanted reactions to pedestrians and vice versa.

NEW ENTRANCE ON THE EAST SIDE

It has been proposed for a highrise on Cawthra Square. This will most likely disrupt access to the north entrance to the dog park.

We Propose…

Replacing the eastside chain link fence for a north matching metal fence and adding/moving the entrance to the east side.

REPAINTING AND REPAIRS

Benches need to be repainted and gates need to be repaired.

We Propose…

Paint and fix.

LIGHTING

We Propose…

Adding lights in dark areas for increase in safety.

REPAIRING THE FOUNTAIN

We Propose…

Repairing the leaking water fountain.

NEW IRRIGATION SYSTEM

Low levels of gravel revealed the sprinkler system which became a tripping hazard and was eventually broken off.

We Propose…

A new sprinkler system.

EXPANDING

Roughly 2500 residential units are being proposed by developers within a three-block radius.

We Propose…

100 Wellesley has donated a strip of land to the city. This long north to south rectangle would be ideal as a dog fetch or leisure area.

COMMUNITY BENEFITS

·   Result #1: Boost engagement

·   Results #2: Increase safety for the dogs and owners

Barbara Hall Dog Park has been positive for a large portion of the Church Wellesley community. This community is growing at a fast pace and the number of people with dogs is steadily increasing. The dog park has not been maintenance properly and continues to be overlooked. This is extremely disheartening to the many residents that utilize the dog park. We are a good, law abiding, group who love our dogs and value the off leash. We do our best to preserve and improve the park ourselves. We clean the dog park ourselves, do minor repairs when the city ignores our request, we strive to make the dog park safe, clean, and welcoming. We fundraise to buy pools for the dogs to enjoy on hot summer days, make our own little agility courses, and have holiday events. We pay taxes, rent, mortgages, and support our community businesses. We are good people and honestly, we deserve a better dog park.

We thank you for your consideration and hope to further discuss this proposal soon.

The Barbara Hall Off Leash Dog Park (unofficial) association.

Krista Wilson                                                    Larry Rubin

keykaluv@hotmail.com         larrydanielrubin@gmail.com

plus the over 200 members of the facebook Barbara Hall Dog Park.