The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
With increased membership, New Milford Dog Park get repairs
NEW MILFORD — While the New Milford Dog Park has been open for 12 years, it had never before undergone a renovation — until now.
Due to increased membership, the nonprofit is in a financial position to make “much needed” repairs, park president Paul Grant said.
“With so many people adopting puppies and so many people looking for somewhere to take their dogs to socialize, the park has become a real focal point,” he said. “We've probably doubled membership over the last several years and on top of that, we've doubled the usage and the wear and tear on the park.”
All the extra usage has been taking a toll on the park, Grant said.
“We are watching more and more of the park be essentially turned into a mud bog,” Grant said. “We have wood chips that we use to try to absorb some of that moisture and make it so that it's not such a muddy mess, but the fact remains we've gone far too long doing nothing.”
One of the first repairs made was to the 65-footby-65-foot small dog section of the 1.7 acre park, at 44 Pickett District Road. That section just reopened after being closed for a month.
“We have aerated and overseeded the area with a special mix of seeds that are good for high traffic areas and quick growth,” said Grant, about the park, which is also called the “Candlewoof ” Dog Park.
The park, an all-volunteer run organization, is open from sunrise to sunset. It operates through donations and membership dues, which are $20 a year and go towards maintenance.
There are between 50 and 100 members. Both members and non-members may use the park.
This spring, around 150 to 200 people have been frequenting the park on a weekend day, Grant estimates.
“As it gets warmer, the numbers will likely go up a bit,” he said. “They come to a place that's kept clean. We have weekly trash pick-up. We have poop bags all over the park.”
In regard to repairs, tree work was also recently done.
“We also had Gentile tree services here a couple of weeks ago and they took down a couple of trees that were ailing,” Grant said. “On top of that, they went through about a dozen other trees here on the property and removed branches that were either threatening or were actually dead or dying, so as to make it a far safer place to be.”
Additionally, portions of fencing that were damaged during Hurricane Isaias in 2020 were repaired.
“Part of the southernmost part of the park wasn't up against Pettibone's fields, so we had to replace the fencing there,” said Maddy Patrick, secretary of the park.
Local business have also contributed to park renovations — both in funds, donations of new benches, fencing and pothole filler, and handy work service.
“The Thrift Mart here in town donated $2,000 to the park for a bench in our soonto-be-established memorial area for dogs we've loved and lost,” Grant said. “Additionally, Ring's End donated stockade fencing and supplies for starting our new plaque wall where we hang plaques that members buy for their dogs.”
The park also just received about $3,500 in donations during the Give Local event for Greater Waterbury and Litchfield Hills.
Park history
Kimberly-Clark, which neighbors the dog park, owns the 1.66 acre property.
“Clark gave the property to the town to use as it wished. And the town, back in 2010, agreed with people here in New Milford who were petitioning for a place to open up a park — to let them have this land. And in doing so, that started this whole process,” Grant said.
New Milford resident Frances Terry, a former principal of the former John Pettibone School and later of Northville Elementary School, donated all the fencing in the park.
“Her children established a grant to fund the small dog park,” Grant said. “That really got this thing started.”
Future plans
Plans for additional park repairs are in the works.
“We will close both the small dog park and portions of the large dog park around the middle of September for about 30 days, when our landscapers will aerate and overseed for a second time,” Grant said. “This is standard treatment when trying to get grass to grow in areas that have been let go for a long time.”
Within two years, the main entrance and center areas of the park will be treated in similar fashion, Grant said.
“We will always be closing down small areas of the park where wear is especially severe,” Grant said. “It's all part of the overall upkeep — something that had not been done at all in the past 12 years.”
Upcoming events planned at the park include a dog prom this summer and a costume event at Halloween.
“Our big goal is to create a safe space and a fun place for dogs and for people and really just give back to the community,” Patrick said.