How doggone long have the pups of Acton been waiting for a place to run off leash with other dogs?
On Friday, June 5, community members, Town officials, legislators, and supporters gathered at 348 Main Street, just off Route 2, to celebrate the official opening of the town’s first designated dog park.
The canines inspired their human cohabitants to form the Friends of Acton Dog Park Committee (ADPC) in 2017 to create a venue for the pooches to hang as a pack and enjoy the freedom of a romp together. People who had not previously known each other combined their efforts, vision, and expertise to seek the funding, cooperation and support of the Select Board to bring this vision into reality. Like dogs with a bone, their perseverance has resulted in a beautiful, safe, and practical space for dogs of all shapes and sizes to interact freely. There’s even an optional separate space for small dogs.
Government funding of $250,000 was secured through the Stanton Foundation, so taxpayer money was not needed for the park. Chair of the committee, Tom Gillispie, notes that an additional $50,000 has been put aside to create protection in the park while the trees are currently too small to provide the much needed shade that summer meet-ups require.
A number of speakers praised the cooperation and collaboration required to create the park, highlighting what can be accomplished with the inspiration from citizens and residents of the town. Senator Eldridge was on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony along with Town Manager John Mangiaratti, who also praised the process and acknowledged Assistant Town Manager Thom Begin for his key role in the project, managing to bring forth the new site.
ADPC Chair Gillispie noted how wonderful it is to focus on something that is so positive (not to say pawsitive) at a time when that cannot be taken for granted, and he also emphasized the support from the Select Board, guidance from designers, and execution from John Woodall Construction.
Gillispie continued, “After laboring for so many years, the Acton Dog Park Committee is genuinely pleased to see the park open and in full use. Many of the folks participating in the opening ceremony mentioned how this was truly a team/Town effort, bringing together many committees and Town leadership to fulfil our charter to bring a safe and attractive fenced-in area for Acton residents (and surrounding communities), funded primarily via outside grants and fundraising. All of us have been touched by not only the joy we see in dogs safely running, chasing balls and sniffing, but also in the socialization between dog owners brought together by this new Acton amenity.”
The result, following the many steps, is a space for dogs and their people to gather to enjoy time together without the worry of a pup getting lost or facing the dangers of traffic.
While the dog park is now open, it still needs ongoing support. Here are two ways you can help:
- Become a member of the Friends of Acton Community Dog Park, Inc. (FACDP). FACDP is an all-volunteer non-profit organization whose mission is to provide the Town of Acton with a safe, clean, and accessible space for socializing and community-building among dogs and their human companions. Now that the park is open, FACDPs mission is to maintain and improve the dog park to ensure its long-term preservation. For more information, see https://actondogpark.weebly.com/become-a-friend.html.
- The $50,000 donation for shade, described earlier in this story, is in the form of a pavilion that can protect dog owners from the hot sun, rain, or snow… an historic-looking 16′ x 28′ post-and beam structure that fits in with the character of the town. While the first donation is a great start, the ADPC is launching a fundraiser entitled “Raise the Roof” to raise an additional $40,000 needed to fund the structure. To contribute: https://actondogpark.weebly.com/donate.html.
Meg Stafford is an award winning author of two memoirs, speaker, storyteller and columnist. Her forty years as a licensed psychotherapist have provided invaluable insight into the quirks and passions of the human experience.
