Hallowell Dog Park: The Next Steps, But Gees…Pick Up Your Dog’s Poo

The Hallowell City Council wants to reopen the Hallowell Dog Park at Vaughan Field in Hallowell.  Good.

According to centralmaine.com a dog park clean-up has been scheduled for October 20th.  Great!

But to reopen the dog park will need the OK from Hallowell Public Works.

There is hope there will be twice a year clean-up day, there will be volunteer committee, a point-person to help oversee the park.  Great ideas!

There is also talk of putting in some stations with the bags and little trash bins. BUT who will pay for those bags, who will restock those bags and who will empty the trash.  OH...maybe that is why Public Works needs to be in on this.

I LOVE having local dog park. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.  But it can be hard to get people to step and support it.  I know that first hand.

They have plans to ask for donations when dog owners register their dogs at the start of the year for a dog park donation.  LOVE IT!  Hey I am not even a Hallowell resident and I will kick in $20.  But to have a dog park in a community is a big blessing (in my opinion) and I think the community is right to expect people to pick up after their dogs. I mean REALLY...if you don't want to pick the poo at home that is your business...but on a walk, at the park, in the wood PICK UP YOUR DOG'S POOP!  (might I add, this is the second time in two days I have written a story about picking up dog poo...hummmm)

I read the original intent of the Friends of Vaughan Field is the dog park would be maintained by volunteers...that is lovely, but those strong individuals who you know you can count sometimes...move away or life changes their circumstances.

My opinion is to pull out all the landscaping that looked great when it was put in and it so overgrown.  Lowers the work to keep it looking good. It also makes the park more open and maybe "someone" will be a little more attentive to picking their dog's poo if it is not so private.  Scrape down and clean up the growth in the park and put down whatever surface stone was there in the beginning. That stuff was GREAT!  Looked good, drained well and for a long time was resistant to weeds. IF you can afford a station with dog bags...but if not...I get it.  But no matter what...I think a trash can and Hallowell putting it on the route of cans to empty will go a long way to helping to keep the park clean.

I am NOT a Hallowell resident or taxpayer so this is all just my opinion but it is a great park, next to a wonderful playground and Vaughan Field is one of my favorite places for us.  I think it is worth it and worth what it may cost to help maintain it.