Hallowell’s Dog Park Closed for Now

The dog park in Hallowell is one of my favorite places. ShadowDog and I don’t do dog parks much anymore since..well…I don’t have a car. (but that is another story).  But we have a LOT of dog park experiences from around the state.

The park is at Vaughn Field, not Vaughn Woods, where a school used to be years and years ago.  After the fencing was put in some caring crew did a bunch of landscaping years ago.  It is a lovely place.  But last time I was there the landscaping was overgrown, grass and plants were invading the dog park surface and there was always a few poos that someone ‘forgot’ to pick up.  BUT from what I was reading in the KJ it is now out of control.  Hallowell went so far to pull the trash cans hoping people would carry out their trash and doggie poo with them.  Sorry, I could have told you that was going to backfire.  In my experience IF you have a trash can there is a much better shot that someone will do the doo-doo job.  While Hallowell was not providing poo-bags when ever I would visit there was always some grocery bags someone left so people could do the pick-up! 

I 1000% agree that any pet parent should be picking up after their dog on a walk and in the dog park. That is just what you do.  I agree you should not have to show or tell them…but you do. And even then it will not always work.  I mean there is a LOVELY playground and green space next to the dog park, would someone visit that part of the park and not think they need to clean up after themselves?  I don’t think so. 

Hallowell is hoping this closure will urge those dog park users to unite and help keep it a wonderful space.  Good luck with that! I really mean it, but the city of Hallowell needs to see the value this brings to the city as well.  Here is my prediction…it will just be a few hard working pet parents to get things cleaned up and without a wee bit of support from the city and a wee bit of support from the community they will get tired and frustrated and the park will lose again.  How do I know this? It is what happened to me in a similar situation.  

Cheers to you Hallowell!  You are a wonderful city and community and I hope I am so very, very wrong and you get this under control for now and the future.

p.s.  ShadowDog says woof!