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Date: 4/2/2015
EAST LONGMEADOW – Rick Holden is an Eagle Scout candidate in local Boy Scouts of America Troop 275, who decided to reach out to the East Longmeadow Bark Park Association (ELBPA) for his service project – to raise funds and plan for the construction of a wind shelter at the dog park located at Heritage Park.
Holden, a 16-year-old junior at East Longmeadow High School, told Reminder Publications he decided to contact the ELBPA because he wanted to work on a project centered on dogs that benefits the community.
“Since there’s no trees where the Staples and Big Y parking lot is, there’s a lot of wind that comes off there and hits the dog park,” he explained. “It’s a place where people can stand when it’s raining and let there dogs outside while staying warm.
“They can stay there when it’s really windy in the winter and still have the whole view of the park,” he continued.
Holden has raised approximately $400 of a $1,500 goal from businesses such as Rocky’s Ace Hardware and A.W. Brown’s Pet & Garden Store since the project began six months ago. The project is anticipated to be completed by June.
The $1,500 goal does not include the cost of labor, which Charista Construction is providing for the project, Holden said.
“I have commitment from Joe Kennedy and Charista Construction to provide the labor and construction,” he added. “We have identified the list of materials that we will need for the construction. I am looking for additional support by way of donations to purchase the materials needed during construction.
The wind shelter will likely be 16 feet in length, he added. Holden completed the design on which the construction team will base their work.
He added that while working on the design he viewed other dog parks in communities such as Agawam.
ELBPA President Bill Couzelis said the 3/4-acre dog park was established nearly four years ago.
“Dogs have to be registered to use the park so that we know they’re registered and have their rabies shots,” he added. “We have almost 1,000 dogs registered to the park.”
Couzelis said the dog park is fenced in and has two sections – one for small dogs and another for large dogs.
“The large dog side has a tunnel that they can run through and a playscape with ramps and stairs that they can run down,” he added. “The small dog side pretty much has the same thing. We’ve got some picnic tables and benches for people to sit on and we’ll be adding some things this year as well.”
The ELBPA may be adding a shed for equipment and hoops for dogs to use this year, Couzelis said.
“We rely strictly on donations,” he added. “There’s no income other than fundraisers and the patrons of the park donating.”
The park’s annual budget is approximately $2,000, Couzelis said. Startup costs for the park were $15,000.
Couzelis said Holden has been “good to work with” on the project.
For more information and inquiries about the wind shelter at the East Longmeadow dog park contact Holden at rickholden16@gmail.com.