Russellville seeks approval for dog-park space
RUSSELLVILLE — The Russellville Recreation and Parks Department has to jump through a few more hoops before the city’s dog park becomes a reality.
Terry Thomas, director of the department, said the park will be created in Pleasant View Park on Arkansas 7 in a shady area near the softball complex. The park property is leased from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which must approve the dog park.
“The goal is to start building in September and have it open in October,” Thomas said. “We’re at a standstill waiting on the Corps of Engineers.”
He said he expects the request to be approved because there is no structure being built. However, it could take “a month or two” for the Corps to rule on the request. “It’ll go through, but with all the flooding they’ve had, it may take longer than normal,” he said.
Meanwhile, Thomas is working to get prices for fencing, pouring a sidewalk and building a parking lot. He will then take the estimates to request funding from the Russellville City Council, possibly at its July 18 meeting. However, Thomas doesn’t know if he will have the request ready.
“It depends on whether contractors get me prices,” Thomas said, adding that the process has been a challenge.
“It’s been like pulling teeth. They’re busy with flood damage and stuff. We’ve got plenty of time, since we’re waiting on Corps of Engineers [approval].”
The 2019 Russellville Regional Leadership Academy Class 33 presented Thomas with a $40,000 check in June. It included $20,000 from the Advertising and Promotion fund and $20,000 from the class, which raised money for the project with a variety of fundraisers.
“Basically, the money [the leadership class] raised, the $40,000 — some of that is in-kind stuff,” Thomas said. The money will go toward benches, trash receptacles, “pooper
stations” with trash bags, water fountains and an agility course, which the A&P required with its donation.
“The city is going to probably more than match that [$40,000] and do fencing, sidewalks and parking,” he said.
Dallis Clark, a 2019 graduate of the leadership class, was integral in the design of the dog park. Clark, assistant park superintendent at Lake Dardanelle State Park, is also on the Russellville Parks and Recreation Commission.
“I have a lot of park experience, so that’s why I’m very much involved in the dog park,” he said.
He also has a personal interest —his dog, a German shepherd named Leo.
“My family would definitely use the dog park,” he said.
Clark said the drawings are “conceptual” and may change, depending on the slope of the property, etc.
“Everything’s not set in stone. As with any project, there will be some changes,” he said. “These are drawings we’ve carried to the Russellville Business Expo so the public has an understanding of what a dog park is.”
The project will include a handicapped-accessible sidewalk from a new parking lot, which will have spaces designated for 18 to 20 vehicles, he said.
“A person can park at the park and never walk off a road or go down a dirt path,” Clark said.
The park will be divided into areas for large dogs and small dogs. The large-dog side will encompass 23,000 square feet; the small-dog side will be 11,000 square feet. A 5-foot fence will surround the park, and it will include an enclosed transfer area where people can bring their dogs in and shut the gate before entering the actual dog park so the dogs “won’t dart out the gate,” he said.
Natural features, such as logs, will be incorporated into the play areas, Clark said. Boulders will be used for dogs to climb on and “humans to sit on.”
Frost-free fountains will be available for the dogs, as well.
“City Corporation said they’d donate some fire hydrants to make it look … kind of trendy,” Clark said with a laugh.
A dog-wash station on a concrete pad will be available, “a fountain to use in case a dog gets muddy. … You can hose them off, and they won’t make a mess in your car.
Details about the park and how to support it are available at the website designed by the leadership class, www.dogparkrsvl.com. Opportunities to support the park include naming rights for benches and more.
Clark said the park is near a playground.
“The long-term plan before the dog park gained traction was there’s going to be a walking trail in that area. We hope the dog park, walking trail and playground will tie in.”
The group that originally got the ball rolling on the project is the Friends of the Dog Park — Russellville, AR.
Cass Capen-Housley, instructor and event coordinator for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Hospitality Administration at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, said the group got together several years ago, but it disbanded when the project didn’t happen. She said the Friends group spent hours working on the project and writing rules for the park and made a pitch to the former recreation and parks director.
Then a couple of years ago, Lowell Lybarger, a multimedia librarian at Arkansas Tech, “said, ‘Let’s revisit this,’” Capen-Housley said. “We wanted to get reorganized to get people re-interested. The reason why is we want responsible pet ownership. [A dog park] gives the dogs a place to exercise and socialize. It’s a safe space, and it’s good for their humans.”
She said there are a lot of dog owners in Russellville, “and our ambassador is a dog,” referring to the Arkansas Tech mascot, Jerry, a bulldog.
Capen-Housley praised the Russellville Regional Leadership Class for its efforts. She said the project would not be happening as fast as it is without the members’ interest and fundraising.
“I can’t sing their praises enough, and I’m fortunate to know a lot of them. It just shows this community engagement, because we all understand the benefit of this park.
“Leadership Russellville wants this park to be beautiful, and so do we,” she said.
Also, she said the A&P Commission understands that a dog park is good for tourism, and Thomas has been supportive, too.
“Terry’s done a great job. He gets it,” she said.
The Friends group has held several fundraisers for the park, including a successful Kickstarter campaign, she said, selling T-shirts and having a pancake breakfast.
Now that the leadership class has taken on fundraising, Capen-Housley said, the role of the Friends group is shifting to social outreach, “where we’re updating the community on, ‘This is where we are with the park,’ days where maybe we’re breaking ground, things like that. Anytime Leadership Russellville is somewhere, they invite us.”
She said the Friends group is giving the money it raises to the leadership class to put toward the park. For example, the Friends group is selling engraved bricks to display at the park in honor or memory of a dog. The cost is $50, and the number of words is limited.
Capen-Housley said to message the group on The Friends of the Dog Park—Russellville, AR Facebook page. The Friends group operates under the nonprofit Recreate Russellville.
Clark said he has been “pleasantly surprised how many people are excited to see this dog park come online,” and Thomas said he thinks the dog park will be popular, too.
“Everybody so far has been behind us, and there are still people bringing in donations. Some people are even bringing them here [to the Recreation and Parks Department] now,” Thomas said.
“I think it will be well-used, with the dog group behind it, and all these towns are getting dog parks, and [the residents] want us to have one.”
It will be a place people and their pets will be welcome to come sit — and stay.
Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.