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PUTNAM NEWS
Putnam dog park passes unanimously
HURRICANE, W.Va. -- The Putnam County Parks and Recreation board of directors has voted unanimously to construct a community dog park at both the Valley Park in Hurricane and County Park in Eleanor.
Parks Director Scott Williamson said community members have shown much interest in a dog park. With a leash law and general community traffic concerns, there's really no other place locally where you could take your dog and allow them a chance to explore and play the way these parks will allow, he said.
"This will be a safe place where people can let their dog off its leash and throw a tennis ball or let their pet socialize with other dogs without having to worry."
The cost for both the structures, described by Williamson as a grass-filled play area having two separate chambers, is $3,651. But thanks to a local donor, much of the cost of one of the parks is covered already.
Recently voted one of the Governor's 2008 Service Award winners, Karen Haynes has chosen to not only donate the $500 she received as part of her recognition to the project construction, but she and her husband Joe decided to match those funds, totaling $1,000.
"Lots of dog owners have come to us requesting that we have a dog park in our area rather than go to Charleston," Haynes said. She added that she was glad to give the money to a project that has been close to her heart for some time now. And with the work she's done toward raising money for a new animal relief center, "The two just fit right together," she said.
A ribbon cutting will be held at Valley Park about 15 minutes before the Dog Swim scheduled at 6:15 p.m. Monday, Sept. 1, at the Wave Pool.
If you're looking for some way to help Putnam Parks while recycling at the same time, Williamson encourages you to drop off your plastic shopping bags at the Park office, where they will be placed in dog clean-up boxes throughout the parks for owners to use in cleaning up pet waste. "That saves us quite a bit of money," he said, allowing for funds to be invested in other projects throughout the Parks system for the community to enjoy.
