Photo Credit: Courtesy Jonathan Rudie
It seems that every day I receive calls or emails from another sports-enthusiast group, requesting space or accommodations for its particular recreational pursuit. So when I received a request three years ago for an off-leash dog park, it seemed reasonable enough. The Kenosha County park system had a number of suitable areas where a dog park could be built; the issue was how to pay for the construction and operating costs.
After a bit of research, the parks division developed an estimate for construction costs and presented it to the governing committee. Its response was simple: “If you can find a way to build it and operate it at no expense to the taxpayers, go right ahead.” We were fortunate to have a solid core group of dog-owning citizens who were passionate about the idea and willing to help. The problem was that no one was sure how to start the ball rolling. Finally, the county executive launched the effort by pledging $25,000 of non-tax dollars, if the community would match it. He also set the price for the purchase of naming rights.
As fundraising began, temporary dog parks were set up in two county parks by cordoning off large sections with snow fencing. Residents were asked to make a donation. To kick off the opening of the temporary parks, which happened to be in December, we charged $5 for families to have a photo taken of their dog with Santa. The response was huge. Word spread rapidly, and we were on our way.