Although it faced competition from a city meeting that brought forth dozens of residents Tuesday night, the inaugural Crookston dog park meeting still managed to draw an eclectic group of 17 people willing to put in the time and effort into seeing the park become a reality.
“I feel this was a very productive organizational meeting,” said Gina Carolan, who got the ball rolling with a petition drive after the Crookston City Council decided not to pursue a dog park due to the cost. “We received a lot of constructive comments and suggestions that will be very helpful in bringing to Crookston a much needed fenced-in area for people and dogs to enjoy the great outdoors.”
While most of the meeting attendees are dog owners, a few are not but were there to lend support for the initiative. Wayne Melbye, city council and Park Board member, sat in on the first half hour and made it known that he would offer assistance in any way he could.
“Don't hesitate to call me if you have questions,” he said. “We (the city) are willing to work with you to see this thing through.”
'People park'
Carolan stressed that this would not be just a dog park but also a “people park.”
“I think people who don’t have dogs think of it as just a dog park. But while the owners exercise their dogs they have wonderful connections with the other people there, too. And if you're an animal lover who, for some reason, can't have pets, this is your chance to see some beautiful dogs in an ideal setting,” she said.
A handful of meeting attendees are familiar with the dog park concept, some having visited one regularly where they lived previously. Megan Scott, who recently moved here from the Twin Cities, said she lived within a short distance of three dog parks.
“What do you do if the dogs don’t get along?” Dennis Martin, who owns two dogs, queried. “They're out there running, which makes it hard to catch them. It doesn’t necessarily have to be dogs that are normally mean, but some just don't get along.”
Scott, who said she frequented the nearby dog parks with her pets, said the responsibility ultimately rests with the owners to control their dogs. Although the rules can vary from park to park, most have similar guidelines that lay out owners' responsibilities in the park and what actions to take should an incident arise.
“The owners and dogs at the park get to know each other – we get to know the dog’s name first – and which dogs play well together,” she said. “You figure out the best times to go to see the ones you get along with and the ones you'd rather not be around.”
Carolan's husband, Mike Vivion, added that many times, dogs that exhibit aggressive tendencies on their own turf mellow out when they're on neutral ground.
Details still need to be worked out, but the city has said that if a group can come up with the money to construct the park, it would provide the land at no cost and own and maintain the park. Parks and Recreation Director Scott Kleven has mentioned two potential sites: Castle Park, located off Castle Street near Altru Health, and the former Otter Tail Power Company property off South Main and Crescent Avenue, next to the river. The focus has primarily been on Castle Park, with the other location as a back-up.
“I think Castle Park would be a great location,” Carolan said. “It would be safe for dogs and good for the community. If the city were to approve this property, we will have to assure the nearby house owners that it would be fairly quiet, which I have confidence it will. It's amazing how little dogs bark when they're left free to roam.”
Kleven, who was unable to attend the meeting, said this morning that the Park Board has discussed the dog park issue at length and determined that at least one acre is needed to provide adequate space, which both possibilities do. The Castle Park location, in the northwest portion of the park, has been identified as an ideal site, he added, being a protected area with trees and easy access to.
Getting the funds
Estimates for a 6-foot fence from Dakota Fencing are currently at $19,228 installed and $11,704 for just the fence material. Before the first fence post can be pounded into the ground, though, the group must raise about $17,000, Carolan said.
“It took Grand Forks five years to get theirs up and running,” she said. “I'm sure it won't take Crookston that long, though.”
While acknowledging they have a mighty task ahead – $17,000 is a lot of money – there was no shortage of ideas being tossed around: solicit business sponsors whose signs would be posted on the fence and individual donors whose names would be on park benches and picnic tables; sell calendars featuring local dogs; hold a dog show and/or 5K dog run; sell t-shirts; apply for grants to Petco and other animal organizations; enlist the aid of clubs and service organizations within the community to raise funds and contribute elbow grease; and recruit individuals and classes at the University of Minnesota, Crookston to lend their skills to the effort.
The dog park group is currently not incorporated as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and it's up in the air as to whether or not it will be.
“It's expensive and time-consuming to do that,” said Vivion. “Basically, the difference is in taxes.”
Ashley Wilson, treasurer for the Humane Society of Polk County Board, mentioned the possibility of branching off the HSPC's 501(c)(3) status, which they agreed to look into.
The group has yet to come up with a name, which Carolan hopes will be determined at the next meeting, April 6, at 6:30 p.m. in the Crookston Library Meeting Room.
“Everyone is welcome to attend,” she said. “We want to get this going as fast as we can.”
Crookston, Minn. —
