This week, the local dog park committee announced a free event to show off the new, donation-funded dog park at Christman Park in Washington Court House.
The committee met Wednesday evening in the city’s administration building in place of their regularly-scheduled monthly meeting to discuss the upcoming “Howl-O-Ween” event. The costume parade and contest will be held on Monday, Oct. 31 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the dog park.
The committee is asking the community to find a costume for the family dog and come join them for an evening celebrating the creation of the dog park. Prizes will be awarded for the most humorous costume, best dog/owner costume, best small dog costume and best large dog costume.
“There is no fee involved,” Bruce Willis, co-chair for the committee, said. “We are trying to let the public know there is an off-leash dog park that they can use, and we want dog owners to get silly and come on by. Many cities have dog parks and it encourages people from different destinations to come see our dog park. Obviously we need more things in our small community and I think we need to have positive things to talk about.”
Willis said they are trying to get some donations for the prizes, which could include treats or toys, but he really wanted to emphasize that the informal event is really just a great time for people who haven’t seen the new park to check it out for themselves.
Part of the committee’s goals to finish the dog park is to install two shelters within the park. The financing for one of the shelters is currently in place, thanks to private donations from citizens, and has been ordered. Using a simple design with one bench seat and one half-bench seat, the shelters will be made so that people with disabilities who are confined to wheelchairs can use the table and shelter easily.
“The park looks nice now, (Washington C.H. City Manager) Joe Denen will attest to that, and we think it will look nice in 15 years, so we are trying to set a high quality standard here,” Willis said. “We are trying to raise an additional $5,200 to get the second shelter. We would like to have one in the large dog park and one inside the small dog park.”
Anyone wanting to donate to help with the goals of the dog park committee can take their donation to the City Administration Building on Main Street in Washington C.H. All donations will go to a fund for the committee to use and donations are tax-deductible. Additionally, the committee will accept donations during the Howl-O-Ween event.
