An area of land near the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center will become a dog park for the city of Shawnee and many active supporters believe it could open as soon as early spring with the community’s help.
“A dog park will be built in the triangular field behind the [city’s] shelter and across the street from the Expo,” said Chris Thomas, Animal Rescue Center board member and Shawnee Police Department administrator of Support Services. “Meetings are being held and diagrams have already been roughly drawn. The land is a lower-lying area and is not able to have a structure and there’s a creek that runs through there, so it is perfect for this park. The Expo and the city own the land but everyone’s on board with the idea.”
Thomas said plans are for three areas at the park: One for large dogs, one for small dogs and another for all dogs to mingle.
“The land just gives us all the options,” he said. “With the land we have and the trees and full grass, if we manicure it correctly, we believe we can outdo the ones in Del City and on Northwest Expressway. That land is a diamond in the rough; it has a lot of potential.”
Thomas said the park also could double as a place for potential dog owners to interact with the canines at the shelter prior to making a decision regarding whether to adopt.
“The city of Shawnee has been wanting a dog park over the last three years and has been trying to bring the image of the shelter up but the shelter is meant for public safety ‹ it’s not an adoption-focused center,” Thomas said. “We wish people would adopt every day so we didn’t have to ever euthanize. But the main mission of the shelter is public safety. On the land behind the shelter we would like to eventually build an actual animal rescue and shelter and adoption park — that is our long-term goal. Then we could take adoptable dogs from that shelter there.”
James Bryce, the city’s interim director of operations, said he has walked the area of land located on the south side of the rescue center, which he believes is about an acre, and marked it in a way he believes would represent where fences would go. He said there are many potential uses for the park, aside from being a place for citizens to walk their dogs.
“The park can be utilized by RV clubs, IFYR contestants, any event held at the Expo and by the community and it gives a way for potential pet owners to interact with a dog before they commit to an adoption.”
Bryce and Paul Hines, who is the president of ARC, each applied for grants to assist with construction and operation of the park but both of those grants were denied. Thomas also has applied for a grant but hasn’t received word as to the status of that application.
Bryce said although the dog park would be relatively easy to build, there are many aspects of construction to consider.
“The gates and fencing will cost about $8,000 to $9,000 and we’re working with the utility department to do the water for the site,” he said. “I’m thinking OG&E can put a couple light poles out there. And the water department has some old fire hydrants that don’t work that we can use out there. We’ve even considered a possible dog wash on the site so people can wash their dogs after they are through playing at the park.”
Although there is a lot to do before the park can open, as well as a lot of fundraising to take place, Bryce said he is optimistic on the timing of the park’s opening and said he and Thomas agree about when that might be.
“My hope is to have it ready to be used at least by early spring; that’s our goal,” he said.
Thomas said Saving Pets At Risk, ARC, the city, the Expo and others are working together to make the park a reality. He said SPAR has a fund designated for the park and ARC plans to take $2,000 it received from a gala held recently to open accounts at local banks for supporters to donate.
Thomas said although the park can be as simple or as elaborate as its supporters want it to be, an initial goal has been set.
“Our beginning goal is about $25,000 to get it started,” he said. “The dual water fountains, for pets and people, are $3,000 each. The first step is to get the fence up and have the city dig the pipeline with a hole in both areas for water fountains. Each area will have trees. We’ll need some lighting and we might have to set it to daylight hours for security, at first. We’ll need some shade structures, park benches and exercise toys.”
Bryce said as with most fundraising efforts, the groups working together on the project will “accept any and all donations.”
City Commissioner John Winterringer said although he isn’t an active SPAR or ARC member, he does support their missions and he supports the dog park.
“It’s very exciting for great quality of life in Shawnee and the property has a creek, which is a nice bonus,” he said. “There’s a lot of support for it already and a lot of people can be involved in it and make it the community’s project. It’s a great idea for the community.”
Winterringer said he first became interested in dog parks about 18 months ago when he and his wife were traveling through Del City and saw the dog park located north of Interstate 40 there.
“It just increases the quality of life and it’s good exercise for the dogs,” he said.
Winterringer said one of the main questions those at the International Finals Youth Rodeo and those seeking a location for an RV rally or other events asks Mike Jackson, Expo operations manager, is, “Do you have a dog park?”
Thomas said that adds to the value of the park and it would help the Expo to attract more events to the area, as well.
“It makes the Expo better too,” he said. “The Expo is donating a bridge that needs to be re-decked and could be used as a walking bridge to connect the areas — that could be phase two. They are excited about this too.”
However, Winterringer said he did have one bit of advice before the community gets behind the idea.
“We really need it and I believe the community wants it but if we’re not going to take care of it, we don’t need it,” he said. “We have to have people in the community dedicated to maintain it.”
Thomas said that the park could be used for those ordered to serve a number of community service hours in that they could work to keep the park clean and possibly perform the mowing duties there, as well.
But the main thing, he said, is being certain the community knows this isn’t just an idea but instead is a project that has been planned and is ready to
be under way.
“We want to get the ball rolling and let the community know we’re serious about this,” he said. “They’re not donating to nothing; we are going to do this.”
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An area of land near the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center will become a dog park for the city of Shawnee and many active supporters believe it could open as soon as early spring with the community’s help.
“A dog park will be built in the triangular field behind the [city’s] shelter and across the street from the Expo,” said Chris Thomas, Animal Rescue Center board member and Shawnee Police Department administrator of Support Services. “Meetings are being held and diagrams have already been roughly drawn. The land is a lower-lying area and is not able to have a structure and there’s a creek that runs through there, so it is perfect for this park. The Expo and the city own the land but everyone’s on board with the idea.”
Thomas said plans are for three areas at the park: One for large dogs, one for small dogs and another for all dogs to mingle.
“The land just gives us all the options,” he said. “With the land we have and the trees and full grass, if we manicure it correctly, we believe we can outdo the ones in Del City and on Northwest Expressway. That land is a diamond in the rough; it has a lot of potential.”
Thomas said the park also could double as a place for potential dog owners to interact with the canines at the shelter prior to making a decision regarding whether to adopt.
“The city of Shawnee has been wanting a dog park over the last three years and has been trying to bring the image of the shelter up but the shelter is meant for public safety ‹ it’s not an adoption-focused center,” Thomas said. “We wish people would adopt every day so we didn’t have to ever euthanize. But the main mission of the shelter is public safety. On the land behind the shelter we would like to eventually build an actual animal rescue and shelter and adoption park — that is our long-term goal. Then we could take adoptable dogs from that shelter there.”
James Bryce, the city’s interim director of operations, said he has walked the area of land located on the south side of the rescue center, which he believes is about an acre, and marked it in a way he believes would represent where fences would go. He said there are many potential uses for the park, aside from being a place for citizens to walk their dogs.
“The park can be utilized by RV clubs, IFYR contestants, any event held at the Expo and by the community and it gives a way for potential pet owners to interact with a dog before they commit to an adoption.”
Bryce and Paul Hines, who is the president of ARC, each applied for grants to assist with construction and operation of the park but both of those grants were denied. Thomas also has applied for a grant but hasn’t received word as to the status of that application.
Bryce said although the dog park would be relatively easy to build, there are many aspects of construction to consider.
“The gates and fencing will cost about $8,000 to $9,000 and we’re working with the utility department to do the water for the site,” he said. “I’m thinking OG&E can put a couple light poles out there. And the water department has some old fire hydrants that don’t work that we can use out there. We’ve even considered a possible dog wash on the site so people can wash their dogs after they are through playing at the park.”
Although there is a lot to do before the park can open, as well as a lot of fundraising to take place, Bryce said he is optimistic on the timing of the park’s opening and said he and Thomas agree about when that might be.
“My hope is to have it ready to be used at least by early spring; that’s our goal,” he said.
Thomas said Saving Pets At Risk, ARC, the city, the Expo and others are working together to make the park a reality. He said SPAR has a fund designated for the park and ARC plans to take $2,000 it received from a gala held recently to open accounts at local banks for supporters to donate.
Thomas said although the park can be as simple or as elaborate as its supporters want it to be, an initial goal has been set.
“Our beginning goal is about $25,000 to get it started,” he said. “The dual water fountains, for pets and people, are $3,000 each. The first step is to get the fence up and have the city dig the pipeline with a hole in both areas for water fountains. Each area will have trees. We’ll need some lighting and we might have to set it to daylight hours for security, at first. We’ll need some shade structures, park benches and exercise toys.”
Bryce said as with most fundraising efforts, the groups working together on the project will “accept any and all donations.”
City Commissioner John Winterringer said although he isn’t an active SPAR or ARC member, he does support their missions and he supports the dog park.
“It’s very exciting for great quality of life in Shawnee and the property has a creek, which is a nice bonus,” he said. “There’s a lot of support for it already and a lot of people can be involved in it and make it the community’s project. It’s a great idea for the community.”
Winterringer said he first became interested in dog parks about 18 months ago when he and his wife were traveling through Del City and saw the dog park located north of Interstate 40 there.
“It just increases the quality of life and it’s good exercise for the dogs,” he said.
Winterringer said one of the main questions those at the International Finals Youth Rodeo and those seeking a location for an RV rally or other events asks Mike Jackson, Expo operations manager, is, “Do you have a dog park?”
Thomas said that adds to the value of the park and it would help the Expo to attract more events to the area, as well.
“It makes the Expo better too,” he said. “The Expo is donating a bridge that needs to be re-decked and could be used as a walking bridge to connect the areas — that could be phase two. They are excited about this too.”
However, Winterringer said he did have one bit of advice before the community gets behind the idea.
“We really need it and I believe the community wants it but if we’re not going to take care of it, we don’t need it,” he said. “We have to have people in the community dedicated to maintain it.”
Thomas said that the park could be used for those ordered to serve a number of community service hours in that they could work to keep the park clean and possibly perform the mowing duties there, as well.
But the main thing, he said, is being certain the community knows this isn’t just an idea but instead is a project that has been planned and is ready to
be under way.
“We want to get the ball rolling and let the community know we’re serious about this,” he said. “They’re not donating to nothing; we are going to do this.”
