Popular Searches
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
Share
Dog park now has land
 |
| John Mason/Hudson-Catskill Newspapers The site of the proposed Claverack Dog Park, on a dirt road leading from Schoolhouse Road to the Town Garage. |
By John Mason
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
CLAVERACK - The off-leash dog park that has been a dream of some town residents now has solid earth to paw. Town Supervisor Jim Keegan told the Friends of the Claverack Dog Park they could lease an acre of land just off Schoolhouse Road on the dirt road going up to the Town Garage for a dollar a year.
But the town and the citizens are at odds on whether more insurance is needed.
The citizens' group, led by Kathy Rector, learned of their new found land when they brought a detailed proposal to the recent Town Board meeting.
A public meeting on the park will be conducted 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Mellenville Firehouse.
Rector said they've raised $300 in pledges.
She brought a substantial packet to the meeting, including benefits of the dog park, why it's needed, general guidelines, a draft drawing of the park, possible rules and regulations, information on insurance, three estimates on fencing, information on doggie bag stations, articles on the Athens dog park, a petition in support of the park containing 132 signatures and lists of volunteers.
The cost to get the park up and running is about $20,000, mainly for fencing.
Much of the discussion at the Town Board meeting focused on insurance and questions of incorporation.
"They want us to become something," Rector told the Register-Star. "We're a bunch of volunteers who came to the town asking for a dog park."
She said the town wants her group to become a not-for-profit organization or a corporation so they could become insured and protect the town against liability at the park.
"There's nothing in the budget for [the dog park]," Keegan told the Register-Star. "It could change down the line if it becomes a viable project."
Town resident Morgan Bowers offered the board the suggestion of signs reading "enter at your own risk."
"The rules and regulations we created reduce our liability," she said. "No one can be in the park under 18 without an adult."
Town Attorney Rob Fitzsimmons said rules are fine, if people follow them. But people disregard speed limits, get hit by fly balls and fly off roller coaster rails.
"The primary way to waive claims is insurance," he said. "The one day someone doesn't police the park, and there's an injury or a dog problem, there will be a liability claim."
He suggested a DBA or non-profit corporation would allow a "balancing of risks."
Councilman Michael Johnston said since there's no line item in the budget, the group could either try to form a corporation or non-profit, or stop and wait for the budget to catch up with them.
That would give them time to get the park ready, he said. A new budget would be prepared in September, he said.
A resident said it's a "nightmare to get a 501-3c," taking six to nine months.
Meanwhile, Rector told the Register-Star, the town is putting in a skateboard park, where the liability is much greater and there won't be monitors - at the dog park, the owners or handlers will have to be the monitors at all times she said; but no one is asking the skateboarders to form an LLC.
And the need for additional insurance is questionable.
"The insurance carrier for the town said we don't need [additional coverage]," she said, as long as a specific list of dog park rules is posted.
"We had made up our own rules, even more comprehensive, more restrictive than the insurance carrier's," Rector said. "Our point to the board was this was several months of research: We talked to behaviorists and trainers. What we did was to limit the liability."
She said the idea of a 501-3c non-profit corporation was first raised at the April Town Board meeting by a lawyer sitting in for Fitzsimmons.
"I already knew we didn't need a 501-3c," Rector said. "You need a board of 12, three meetings a year, it takes nine months to a year to become a 501-3c. This is a one-shot deal: $14,000 for a fence. Doggie bags."
An insurance carrier, Rector said, told her there haven't been any claims for dog bites in dog parks; homes, kennels and the Humane Society are places where dogs are more likely to bite, either out of fear or territoriality.
"A dog park is neutral territory," she said.
The park would benefit the town, both dog owners and non-owners, she argued.
"Everyone will benefit from the park - dog owners and non-owners alike," she said. "Businesses will have people passing by to grab a sandwich, buy gas, ice cream, or what have you, and farmers will have more people to sell produce and products to and that will bring tax revenues into the town."
Among other benefits to the town of Claverack, Rector wrote, the park would promote responsible dog ownership, reduce the need for dog control, lead to calmer dogs due to the benefits of aerobic exercise and provide a venue for socialization of dogs and dog owners and for obedience training.
Claverack in particular needs a dog park, she said, because it has no safe off-leash areas for dogs, limited safe walkways for dogs and owners, town and state roadways that are unsafe for walking people or dogs and no place for elderly or handicapped to exercise their dogs; and the Town Park, cemetery and ballfields are off-limits for canines, and the Land Conservancy only allows dogs on leashes.
As laid out in Rector's sketch, the park would be square, with a covered shelter in one corner adjacent to one of two gates. A tree grove is located in the opposite corner. Five benches would be placed throughout the park.
Outside the two gateways would be the public parking area, with a possible doggie bag station.
"It took us 'x' number of years to get a skate park," Keegan said. "We'd like to see if this project turns into something that people really want. There's one in Great Barrington [Mass.]; there's one in Athens. I don't see one in Columbia County, yet."
To get involved with the Friends of the Claverack Dog Park, attend Tuesday's meeting or contact Rector at krectorot@yahoo.com.
To reach reporter John Mason, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2272, or e-mail jmason@registerstar.com.
CLAVERACK - The off-leash dog park that has been a dream of some town residents now has solid earth to paw. Town Supervisor Jim Keegan told the Friends of the Claverack Dog Park they could lease an acre of land just off Schoolhouse Road on the dirt road going up to the Town Garage for a dollar a year.
But the town and the citizens are at odds on whether more insurance is needed.
The citizens' group, led by Kathy Rector, learned of their new found land when they brought a detailed proposal to the recent Town Board meeting.
A public meeting on the park will be conducted 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Mellenville Firehouse.
Rector said they've raised $300 in pledges.
She brought a substantial packet to the meeting, including benefits of the dog park, why it's needed, general guidelines, a draft drawing of the park, possible rules and regulations, information on insurance, three estimates on fencing, information on doggie bag stations, articles on the Athens dog park, a petition in support of the park containing 132 signatures and lists of volunteers.
The cost to get the park up and running is about $20,000, mainly for fencing.
Much of the discussion at the Town Board meeting focused on insurance and questions of incorporation.
"They want us to become something," Rector told the Register-Star. "We're a bunch of volunteers who came to the town asking for a dog park."
She said the town wants her group to become a not-for-profit organization or a corporation so they could become insured and protect the town against liability at the park.
"There's nothing in the budget for [the dog park]," Keegan told the Register-Star. "It could change down the line if it becomes a viable project."
Town resident Morgan Bowers offered the board the suggestion of signs reading "enter at your own risk."
"The rules and regulations we created reduce our liability," she said. "No one can be in the park under 18 without an adult."
Town Attorney Rob Fitzsimmons said rules are fine, if people follow them. But people disregard speed limits, get hit by fly balls and fly off roller coaster rails.
"The primary way to waive claims is insurance," he said. "The one day someone doesn't police the park, and there's an injury or a dog problem, there will be a liability claim."
He suggested a DBA or non-profit corporation would allow a "balancing of risks."
Councilman Michael Johnston said since there's no line item in the budget, the group could either try to form a corporation or non-profit, or stop and wait for the budget to catch up with them.
That would give them time to get the park ready, he said. A new budget would be prepared in September, he said.
A resident said it's a "nightmare to get a 501-3c," taking six to nine months.
Meanwhile, Rector told the Register-Star, the town is putting in a skateboard park, where the liability is much greater and there won't be monitors - at the dog park, the owners or handlers will have to be the monitors at all times she said; but no one is asking the skateboarders to form an LLC.
And the need for additional insurance is questionable.
"The insurance carrier for the town said we don't need [additional coverage]," she said, as long as a specific list of dog park rules is posted.
"We had made up our own rules, even more comprehensive, more restrictive than the insurance carrier's," Rector said. "Our point to the board was this was several months of research: We talked to behaviorists and trainers. What we did was to limit the liability."
She said the idea of a 501-3c non-profit corporation was first raised at the April Town Board meeting by a lawyer sitting in for Fitzsimmons.
"I already knew we didn't need a 501-3c," Rector said. "You need a board of 12, three meetings a year, it takes nine months to a year to become a 501-3c. This is a one-shot deal: $14,000 for a fence. Doggie bags."
An insurance carrier, Rector said, told her there haven't been any claims for dog bites in dog parks; homes, kennels and the Humane Society are places where dogs are more likely to bite, either out of fear or territoriality.
"A dog park is neutral territory," she said.
The park would benefit the town, both dog owners and non-owners, she argued.
"Everyone will benefit from the park - dog owners and non-owners alike," she said. "Businesses will have people passing by to grab a sandwich, buy gas, ice cream, or what have you, and farmers will have more people to sell produce and products to and that will bring tax revenues into the town."
Among other benefits to the town of Claverack, Rector wrote, the park would promote responsible dog ownership, reduce the need for dog control, lead to calmer dogs due to the benefits of aerobic exercise and provide a venue for socialization of dogs and dog owners and for obedience training.
Claverack in particular needs a dog park, she said, because it has no safe off-leash areas for dogs, limited safe walkways for dogs and owners, town and state roadways that are unsafe for walking people or dogs and no place for elderly or handicapped to exercise their dogs; and the Town Park, cemetery and ballfields are off-limits for canines, and the Land Conservancy only allows dogs on leashes.
As laid out in Rector's sketch, the park would be square, with a covered shelter in one corner adjacent to one of two gates. A tree grove is located in the opposite corner. Five benches would be placed throughout the park.
Outside the two gateways would be the public parking area, with a possible doggie bag station.
"It took us 'x' number of years to get a skate park," Keegan said. "We'd like to see if this project turns into something that people really want. There's one in Great Barrington [Mass.]; there's one in Athens. I don't see one in Columbia County, yet."
To get involved with the Friends of the Claverack Dog Park, attend Tuesday's meeting or contact Rector at krectorot@yahoo.com.
To reach reporter John Mason, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2272, or e-mail jmason@registerstar.com.
Share this Article
 |
 |
|
| Law would raise fines for dogs that attack people, other animals | Indy film to be shot in Columbia, Greene |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of registerstar.com.
You must register with a valid email to post comments. Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here: |
Become a Registered User |
