From Yawn Lawn To Bark Park
Transforming a boring, unusable section of a park to a vibrant space for dogs
By Sean Fitzgerald
This overnight-success story was actually years in the making. The new Bark Park at Shane Kelly Park in the city of Oviedo, Fla., was the culmination of equal parts hard work, collaboration, and imagination, with a spritz of luck. The long-time (25 years) Recreation & Parks Director Dru D. Boulware had a vision of transforming an otherwise useless space into a vibrant park for visitors and their beloved dogs. It has quickly become the “go-to” spot for Dog Dads and Mutt Moms throughout the community and even the surrounding area.
Photo: © Can Stock Photo Inc. / cynoclub
The location was an unusually shaped area within an existing park, essentially a programing “dead space.”
It had elevation changes with some low and potentially wet areas, it was triangular shaped, it had limited shade, and it wasn’t ideal for a playing surface or a traditional playground. The community is very family-centric and pet-friendly, so if it wasn’t going to work well for two-legged friends, then the decision was made to focus on four-legged ones.
A smaller dog park was constructed about six years before as part of the “new downtown” in Center Lake Park in the Oviedo on the Park development. It immediately became a popular spot and remains so, but the size was far from ideal because it was very limiting. There was clearly an appetite from the community to have something bigger and better. The problem, as often times occurs, was funding. So that’s when staff stepped up and made it all happen.
Gathering Materials
Parks crews brainstormed ways to implement underutilized items, which had been saved for another project that never materialized, or were essentially discarded, just collecting dust. The crews partnered with Public Works and Seminole County for similar items. Picnic tables, benches, bushes, and other landscaping were repurposed from other parks and city property under construction. For example, several palm trees that had to be removed due to a tennis court expansion were replanted in the Bark Park. Giant, industrial-sized tires that were no longer functional on heavy-duty commercial equipment were half-buried in a pattern and colorfully painted to create a fun hurdles course for dogs to run through or climb or jump over. Large, concrete drainage-pipe sections and culverts were installed to create unique obstacles. Old playground sections removed from other locations were re-assembled for multilevel platforms.
(Note: One important lesson learned was that some bushes (i.e., holly) that were moved in were potentially harmful to dogs so they had to be removed. Make sure that whatever is planted is appropriate.)
The city had to pay for a chain-link fence line on the perimeter, but was able to negotiate a good rate once a local vendor was told how the fence was going to be used. Another good deal was arranged for the concrete work needed for ADA-accessible parking and pathways. Public Works was able to squeeze in some of the work required. Of course, plenty of signage was needed, along with some water and electrical hookups and other more-traditional amenities to be installed. Some play features were purchased, but for the most part the bulk of the project was “free.” Significant staff time, though, was involved.
(Others may have experienced this before, but it was new to us. The area was determined to be a “park within a park,” so it required a new address: 499 Waggin Trail. Staff came up with this creative name that tied in the obvious dog reference, but also some local history since the site was formerly an equestrian property.)
Going Viral
When word got out about the Bark Park, and the opening was close, some “progress pics” were posted to the department’s social media pages (@OviedoParksNRec). In particular, one on Facebook went “viral” and ended up reaching more than 20,000 viewers. It generated the most interest in anything we have ever shared before, and the best part was it was 100-percent organic. We did not pay to “boost” it at all. The community was clearly excited to have this facility opening soon.
The grand opening on Saturday, February 9, 2019 kicked off with a traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m., involving city council and key park staff. “Who Let the Dogs Out?” blared from the PA immediately afterwards. The festivities continued until noon with food trucks, vendors, and raffles.
Photo: Courtesy of Oviedo Recreation & Parks And Oviedo Photo Club
Charging A Fee
A membership is required to access the Bark Park. Information was distributed with the rules and regulations, policies and procedures, plus opportunities for sponsorships. In order to accommodate as many people as possible, there was initially a two-month “grace period” before memberships began and cards were checked. This trial period gave people an opportunity to check out the park before committing. It also gave the public time to obtain the appropriate shots and copies of paperwork for submission. This time also allowed us to collect contact information from families so we can better communicate with them if there are closures due to inclement weather or poor facility conditions, etc.
There was a great deal of internal discussion about the membership. We ultimately decided to make the fee $5 per dog annually to be as inclusive as possible. The fee will increase at some point, but even at that rate, more than $1,000 has been raised for the facility. The feedback has overall been very positive, especially when we explain that all proceeds are earmarked specifically for the Bark Park repairs, maintenance, and amenities. A special account has been set up for unexpected and/or larger purchases in the future.
There has also been great success in expanding the existing banner sponsorship program. For only $250 per banner per year, sponsors can advertise on a 3-foot x 5-foot banner (or of similar size).Almost $5,000 was raised in the first few months. Again, all the funds are kept solely to benefit the Bark Park, which has been a key selling point. Many of the other locations primarily see vehicular traffic, so there are more total impressions by far, but at the Bark Park, the banners stay for a longer period of time (a good example of quality over quantity).
Lessons Learned
It’s been more than a year since the much-anticipated opening, and we have learned a lot. While it is important to keep the park open as much as possible for members to enjoy, there has to be some regular downtime for ongoing maintenance and repairs. Based on staff schedules and other facility operations, the park is closed on Tuesday, Thursday, and periodically on Sunday mornings to mow, edge, fertilize, etc. Although the park should not be treated as carefully as a soccer or baseball field, it does need to be shut down when conditions are poor. It could be a safety issue (note: liability), but there might be unnecessary damage, such as holes and ruts or worn areas if too wet. It is a tough decision, but when in doubt, lock them out.
Early feedback within some circles indicated concern in not having separate sections for “big” dogs and “small” dogs. We decided to keep the area as large as possible, and as it turned out, there have been very few issues. There is an additional, fenced-in area off the far side from the main entrance for future obedience or other training classes. Agreements with vendors have not yet been finalized.
During this time, we also discovered the desire for quarterly events at the park. National Dog Day,
Photo: Courtesy of Oviedo Recreation & Parks And Oviedo Photo Club
Howl-o-ween, Santa Paws, Pups & Pints, and many others are great examples. Members can get together and enjoy food trucks and music. The banner sponsors and vendors are invited to set up on-site to promote their products and services. These are great ways to generate additional funds for the park by holding a membership drive and highlighting existing sponsors and recruiting new ones.
A wise man once said, “It’s not about finances. It’s about choices.” Our director likes to periodically share that statement from a previous city manager. Ultimately, it is still about money, but the thought process changes enough to turn a “No, we can’t do that!” to “Maybe we can do that,” then possibly “OK, sure, let’s do it!”
Go For It
Do you have the space and the desire to build a dog park? Look around to see what equipment you already have. Next, ask around to see who has certain skills and expertise and may be willing to help. Then pull all that together and just dream big! Brainstorm wild and crazy ideas, paring them down to more reasonable and realistic ones without losing too much of the energy and creativity.
So, who let the dogs out? You can! Get the right people and work collaboratively toward a common goal to provide a wonderful opportunity for the community. That’s a good choice! You will be glad you did.
Sean Fitzgerald, CPRP, CPO, is the Recreation Events Manager for the city of Oviedo Recreation & Parks Department in Florida. Reach him at (407) 971-5563, or sfitzgerald@cityofoviedo.net.