bark park jan 09 presentation

Build An Award-Winning Dog Park with No Taxpayer Dollars

Phil Simmons

Kathy Tinker

Jeff Boubelik

Session 45

January 31, 2009, 2:00 – 3:15

January 2009Frankfort Park District

Our Front Entrance


I. Why Build a Dog Park

Bark Park is not a park for dogs—it’s a park for people who care for dogs!



� Demand—Dog owners are

asking for a safe place to run

their dogs (a national and local trend)

� Pet-friendly community

resource (enables dogs

to legally run off-leash)



� Benefits for Owners

– Promotes park usage for “empty nesters”

– Promotes socialization

within community



� Safe place to exercise

� Promotes healthy

lifestyle

� Strengthens the

socializing of a dog


I. Community Demographics, Trends and Needs

� Frankfort Population: 16,000 (The 36th fastest growing suburb in the U.S.)

� Frankfort Dogs: Estimate 1,500(39% of households nationwide own at least one dog; source Humane Society)

� Frankfort Parks for People: 18

� Frankfort Parks for Dogs: 1(2.5 acres of tail-waggin’ fun)



� Frankfort population continues to grow

� More families = more dogs



� Dog businesses also continue to build in the

community: groomers, vets, daycare, boarding,

agility, obedience, pet retail stores, bakeries,

and more


I. Park Member Pride

� Bark Park Pride is Prevalent

– Members spread the word about the park, thus

helping build membership

– Owners bring their cameras, take pictures

– Members take responsibility to ensure their dog gets regular exercise


I. Park Member Ownership

� Members share ownership of the park via:

– Personal donations

– Memberships

– Plaque/tree/bench purchases


I. Park Member Responsibilities

� Members take responsibility

– They help keep it clean: “scoop the poop”

– They keep vaccinations up to date

– Problems reported and suggestions offered


I. National Recognition

� In 2008, Frankfort Bark Park is recognized

as one of America’s Top Ten Parks by

Dog Fancy Magazine

� Gate system with its ability

to create a reminder system

cited as a big plus


II. Site Selection Criteria

� Location

� Topography

� Vegetation

� Parking

� Lighting

� Water

� Safety


II. Site: Location

� Frankfort Park District donated 2.5 acres of unused land within the 60-acre Commissioners Park.

� Land is sloping, not suitable for sporting events but

ideal for a dog park.

� Bark Park is in close proximity to a skate park, tennis

courts, soccer field and more family-friendly park amenities.


II. Site: Topography/Vegetation

� Slightly sloped—helps prevent puddles

and standing water

� No trees or shrubs

existed

� Grass and weeds

existed


II. Site: Parking

� Paved path and parking lot existed

� Gravel walking path and parking lot

were added in closer

proximity to the

entrance.


II. Site: Lighting

� Currently no lights exist at the park

or gravel parking lot

� Park hours are dawn to dusk

� 2009 goal is to add lights


III. Amenities/Requirements

� Deciding What’s Needed

– Dog amenities

– Owner amenities



� Gate entrance system

– Cost: What can we afford

– Function: High tech/low tech

entrance system

– Looks: Community standards


III. Gate System

� We can monitor usage

� Identify violators

– Those who don’t update their shots

� Key component to get support from vets and

pet businesses

– Shot monitoring

– Encourages healthy member dogs


III. Gate System

� Keeps non-members out

� Identify members in case of an incident,

including victim, violator or witness

� It supports charging for

membership



� Run Areas

– Separate run areas for small and large dogs

– Small dog defined as 25 lbs or less

– Additional landscaping

added between the areasto discourage dogs from

fence running



� Waste Bag Stations

Our Motto: “Scoop the Poop”

Bag stations are situation inside and out the park, along with covered trash cans (to minimize odor in warm months)



� Waste Bag Stations

– Bag stations are sponsored

by a local Frankfort pet business

– Park District staff refills

the stations perodically



� Water Fountain

– Located outside the park

in neutral area

� Prevents guarding or territorial behavior

� Easier to maintain outside of park

� Spigot to fill up water containers

� Handicap accessible

� Situated on concrete



� Sponsorship and Memorial Boards

– Fundraising tool

– Members can honor pets

past and present

– Pet businesses can show their support and market

themselves

– Community showcase


III. Boards



� Benches

– Members can rest

– Sponsorship

opportunity

� Shade Shelters

– Two in large run area,one in common area



� Landscaping

– Grass and weeds were already there

– Seeding

– Fertilization

– Aeration

– Mowing


IV. Organizational Issues

� Fundraising

� Construction

� Administration


IV. Fundraising

� 501(c)3 Status

� Public Donations

� Private Donations

� Ongoing Fundraising


IV. Fundraising

� Operation Playground

� What is a 501(c)3?

� How did being a

non-profit help

us build the park


IV. Fundraising

� Create a 501(c)3

– People want to know where money is going

– 1-2 months to create

– Assistance from dog-friendly lawyer

� Run by a private organization

� Form committees within the group

� Get tasks approved by park district


IV. Fundraising

� Public Donations– Letter-writing and phone calls to:

• Pet Businesses, non-pet businesses, foundations

– Community garage sale

– Publicity in local newspapers

– Shake the can


IV. Fundraising

� Get Creative


IV. Fundraising

� Private Donations (Families)

– Plaques

– Benches

– Trees

– Monetary


IV. Fundraising Support

� Creation of Bark Park brochure– Overview of project

– Suggested donation amounts

– Rendering of the park

– Plaque, bench and tree info with space to write the message

– Reminder that donations are tax deductible

– Used local pet vendors to help distribute the brochures to dog owners


IV. Fundraising Support

� Created Frankfort Bark Park websitewww.frankfortbarkpark.com

– Made donating online available

– Provided periodic construction updates

– Uploaded supporting documents such as park rendering, 501(c)3 letter, donation forms and more


IV. Frankfortbarkpark.com


IV. Fundraising

� Ongoing Fundraising

– Park memberships—money comes back to

Operation Playground, not the park district—this keeps the park self-sustaining

– Frankfort Fall Fest parking lot management


IV. Building the Park

� Park Rendering/Drawing: provides an

idea of what the park will look like

� Materials

� Bids/Donations

� Signage



� Materials/Specifications List

– Identify vendors and contact

– Discuss options (example: brick color)

– Negotiate pricing

– Determine materials cost

– Build as funds allow

� We paid our vendors along the way



� Bids and Donations

– Ask community leaders if their business can help

– Businesses, vendors and friends of the park district



� Get a drawing of your park for promotional

and fundraising purposes

� Our rendering got published in local

newspaper and community publications

which helped draw the attention of readers



� Signage

– Important

communication tool

– Outside the park

� Leash rule

� How to register

– Inside the park

� Rules

� Leash rule in common area


IV. Administration

� Rules

� Incident Management

� Shot Monitoring

� Website

� Publicity

� Memberships


IV. Administration

� Rules– Research other park rules – work with PDRMA

(risk management) and your lawyer

– Develop a liability waiver too

– Post rules on the website

– Post rules at your park

– Reiterate in newsletter

– Incorporate into membership package

– New in 2009: Signoff on rules page


IV. Administration

� Incident Management

– Develop a policy for consistent and fair

method to handling incidents

– Utilize your local Animal Control resources


IV. Administration

� Shot Monitoring

– Vaccination data entered into a database

– Members are contacted the month before their shot

records expire.

– Card is deactivated the next month


IV. Administration

� Website

– Fundraising tool in the beginning

– Park progress posted during construction

– Downloadable registration packet posted along

with rates and general info

– Events page helps us promote upcoming events

– Good source for the media


IV. Administration

� Publicity

– Dog events (2008 Pooch-A-Palooza)

– Word of mouth

– Referrals from members and local pet businesses


IV. Administration

� Memberships

– Frankfort Park District manages the registration

and paperwork

– Volunteers continue to assist with other tasks such as event planning, website, newsletter


Contact Us

� Jeff Boubelik, Executive Director, Frankfort Parks, 815-469-9400

� Phil Simmons, Operation Playground/Frankfort Bark Park, 708-226-5418

� Kathy Tinker, Operation Playground/Frankfort Bark Park, 815-464-1711


Thank You

“A tired dog is a happy dog”

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