Dayton Dog Park Dream is Close to Becoming a Reality

The off-leash park is near completion thanks to strong community support

DAYTON--Generous donations, grants, and volunteer efforts are paying off for the Friends of the Dayton Dog Park, as their dream of having an off-leash park for dogs is becoming a reality, said Carol Rahn, who is co-captain on the FDDP steering committee, along with Candy Jones.

Rahn called the city's donation of land for the park, "a magical gift from heaven".

The city also supplied dirt to the site, and the city crew levelled it, installed the irrigation system, and planted the grass.

The city will maintain the site and the FDDP will provide supplies and make sure dog owners comply with the rules for using the park, Rahn said.

Rahn said the FDDP has raised enough money for supplies, including the fence, which is currently being installed.

Two paintings by local artist Judy Robertus, and a quilt, were raffled at the 2016 Columbia County Fair. Those, along with window posters placed at Banner Bank have raised money, Rahn said.

Local dog lover "Andy" Anderson, who passed away at the end of 2016, gave $1500 to the Friends of the Dog Park, she said.

The committee has recently received $500 and $1,000 donations from "people" living in town, as well as a $1,000 grant from the Blue Mountain Community Fund and $500 from the Warren Foundation.

"Just in the last month we have been given $1,000, and we earned $400 by selling tickets to the demolition derby at All Wheels Weekend," Rahn said.

She said that on Saturday, June 25, Mel Flud, of Walla Walla Fence Company, volunteered his time to dig post holes for fencing around the park.

She credited Mike Ellsworth, who was in charge of getting a group of volunteers on board with doing a "fine job."

She said besides raising enough money for the fencing, other donations have been identified for two park benches, and for the six trees the city is requiring, that will be memorial trees. Two people have also come forward to donate two sanitation stations.

"We've also ordered a table and stools," she added.

Rahn said the idea of creating an off-leash dog park came to her while serving in her capacity on the city's planning committee.

Local minister Marj Johnston and Cindy Abbott, were taking their dog, Lewis, all the way to Walla Walla for an opportunity to play off-leash, Rahn explained. She said she began hearing from others who were doing the same.

"I thought, 'we need to have a dog park,'" she said.

The city's planning director Karen Scharer helped put together the proposal, and we were off-and-running, Rahn said.

She said the Friends of the Dayton Dog Park plan to have a grand opening event "with 4-H kids, dogs, and music," when the park opens, possibly by summer's end.

The dog park is located on a .6-acre parcel of land, at the south end of the fishing pond, within city limits.

For more information about FDDP contact Carol Rahn at (509) 520-8922, or Candy Jones at 382-4609