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Human and Canine Residents Enjoy New Dog Park


Retirement can be fun for dogs, too! A designated space for Carol Woods' canine populace to run and frolic on campus officially opened in September to great anticipation from dog-owners and dog-lovers alike.

After months of planning and generous resident contributions, the sizeable pooch playground in the woods is open for business to both resident and staff dogs. From the walking paths to the park, there will be no lack of exercise opportunities for Carol Woods' dogs to partake in.

Planning for the park began about a year ago when proactive dog-owning residents got together and hashed out the idea for a large, easily accessible fenced-in space where their pets could play safely and happily.

Dog Park Committee members and dog owners Eliska Chanlett, Betsy Hewitt, Vanna Condax, Marcy Congdon, and Bob Seymour shared ideas and presented the plan. With help from management, the groundskeeping and landscaping departments, and many other dog-loving residents, they were able to get the plans off the ground.

"We all had dogs and we all felt our dogs needed more exercise than we could give them," said Chanlett, owner of Jasmine, a 14-year-old "Schnoodle" (Schnazuer-Poodle mix) rescue dog.

Located in the woods on the north side of campus, the 140-by-160 foot state-of-the-art park offers natural surroundings for the dogs to enjoy. Very little was altered in this section of the woods, which allows the dogs to play among tree stumps, twigs, leaves, and various other forest accoutrements. A chain link fence secures the pets and makes it easy for owners to collect their dogs at the end of playtime.

The park was designed to suit the exercise needs of both large and small dogs. Smaller dogs can play in a circular fenced-in area that is inside the larger big dog area. The bigger dogs have a larger and less defined space to run, which includes a path for dog owners to walk on while the dogs run. Benches are provided for "parents" to sit on while they watch their dogs play.

Developing a facility that was both manageable and non-restrictive took time, but was doable for the group. Asking for input and advice from all the community's dog owners was key in all stages of this project. The committee also found that it was a general consensus that the creation of the dog park was a desirable thing to do, according to Chanlett.

"I think the whole thing was a wonderful example of the cooperation between management and the residents," explained Chanlett. "The communication was good, sustained and meaningful, and [management] always remained negotiable."

After receiving clearances from various departments the committee settled on a location that would be safe and enjoyable for the dogs and their owners to visit.

Tony Bayless, the director of landscaping and grounds, was one of many key players in getting the park established. He coordinated many duties, including meeting with contractors, getting prices, budgeting, and setting fundraising guidelines, and the committee was thankful to have him involved.

"It's a success, and we got it built in a good frame of time,"Bayless said. "The dog group is a very positive group of people to work with. I had fun with it. The residents used their people skills and focused to build this park."

Realizing that not everyone at Carol Woods has a dog or even likes dogs, the Dog Park Committee understood from the beginning that they would have to raise the funds independently. This realization, however, did not pose any obstacles.

"We had no problem whatsoever in raising the funds from both dog owners and dog lovers," said Chanlett. "We couldn't have made it without the dog lovers who gave us money."

While Carol Woods has many spaces that could have been used for this project, the committee and other departments felt the best space was the north side of campus in the wooded area in between the Craft Shop and the Farmer's Garden. This space is set apart from residencies and is not an eyesore to the main road, and offers a canopy of leaves in the warm months that keep the site cool.

The committee members had the construction workers keep the clearing of trees to a minimum and were successful in leaving the area wooded. The trees that were cleared were removed mostly to make way for the chest-height fence that wraps around the areas perimeter and to create a circular walking path around the small dog area.

Among the 20-plus dogs on campus are many breeds and sizes of dogs ranging from a small Yorkie and toy poodle to a Scottish deerhound and Great Dane, with many others in between.

Resident Sue Fletcher and her springer spaniel, Rosie, like to visit the dog park early in the morning while there aren't a lot of other dogs around. Rosie doesn't have seasoned friend-making skills when it comes to her canine peers, so Fletcher looks forward to slowly getting Rosie used to the idea of having fun while other dogs are present.

"I am hoping that the dog park will provide opportunities for her to be more willing to be around dogs without being dog aggressive," Fletcher said. "I know she has enjoyed the dog park and she loves running through the woods, so this is a way she can do that while being in a safe, enclosed area."

As well as socializing their dogs with other canine members, residents introduce them to some very special animal lovers who are at eye-level. Just this past March residents trotted their dogs over to the on-campus Children's Center for a well-received dog show.

The children, between two and five years old, gathered together for the morning to learn about each dog's special talents, likes, and dislikes. The kids had the chance to watch the dogs perform tricks such as jumping through hoops, rolling over on command and standing still while an owner affixed a doggie umbrella to the pup's head.

During the cooler morning hours of the summer many residents that own dogs can be seen walking their pets around the one-mile Harkness Circle loop as a common form of exercise. Now, with the dog park, residents can do both or simply sit on a park bench and watch their dog play in the fenced in area.

Bob Seymour and his Sheltie, Pastor, have been using the park since it was finished and are glad to see this new addition to the campus.

"I am very pleased that Carol Woods' management saw these needs and realizes the therapeutic value of pets," said Seymour. "It is a significant and much needed addition to Carol Woods."