Fundraising is underway for The Valley’s first dog park! The Mad River Dog Park, in Warren, is sponsored by the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development’s Better Places program which provides a two-to-one match on funds donated.
“Amenities like the Mad River Valley Dog Park represent the full humanity of a social gathering place,” said Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development commissioner Josh Hanford. “Recreation is so important and having a designated area where dogs are permitted to roam and mingle is beneficial for dogs and dog owners.”
If the campaign reaches its $12,000 goal by January 15, 2023, the “MRV Dog Park” will receive a matching grant of $24,000 from DHCD’s Better Places program.
Mad River Valley residents will soon be able to enjoy a dedicated space for dogs to safely play and socialize thanks to a recently launched crowdfunding campaign. The campaign, led by the Mad River Valley Dog Park committee, has been supported by the Mad River Valley Planning District and Warren, and includes representation from the Mad River Valley Recreation District, Mad River Path, and volunteers from Waitsfield, Warren, Fayston, and Moretown.
The funds raised will support the build-out of the Mad River Valley Dog Park, providing a new kind of gathering place for neighbors and other like-minded dog lovers to meet, as well as a recreational zone for dogs to run off-leash. The park will be a 1-acre, fenced-in play area located behind Brooks Field in Warren, next to the Eaton Forest Mad River Path Storywalk. The completed dog park will include fencing, gated vestibule entrances, small and large dog play areas, human shade structure, shade area for dogs featuring non-toxic trees, play and agility equipment, dog waste composting stations, and signage.
The dog park committee has received the necessary local permits as well as approval from the Warren Select Board and Planning Commission. The idea of a dog park has been floated multiple times in The Valley, and the current moment represents the enthusiasm and process to make it happen: the desire for healthy, outdoor recreation spaces in the wake of COVID-19, the need for a safe space for dogs to run off-leash, and the 2:1 grant model of the Better Places Program.
“We are so excited about what this project means for the Mad River Valley,” said Eve Silverman, an organizer of the Mad River Valley Dog Park committee. “Finally, we will have a designated place for dogs to safely play off-leash and their humans—whether residents or visitors to our beautiful Valley—to socialize and strengthen community.”
Residents, businesses, and neighbors ready to support a new, public space in The Valley where the community can safely gather with neighbors and canine friends alike, are encouraged to get involved and support the Mad River Valley Dog Park.
Here is a link to the website to donate:
https://www.patronicity.com/project/help_us_bring_a_dog_park_to_mad_river_valley#!/
