Dogs,owners find friends at PawsTown

By JORDYN GRZELEWSKI

jgrzelewski@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

Looking to mix up your social life? You and your canine companion might want to become members at Boardman Park’s dog park.

The dog park provides more than just space to run around; it’s a place where new friendships are bred.

“The dog owners, when they’re out here with their dogs, they’re socializing with the other owners. So it’s a win-win,” Boardman Park Director Dan Slagle said of Marge Hartman’s Paws Town Dog Park at Boardman Park.

That goes for the dogs, too. A few even formed a doggy play group that meets in the mornings.

“It was cool because the people said they [their dogs] never knew each other before this, and now they have doggy buddies,” said Karen McCallum, park recreation director, who brings her dog, Sadie, to Paws Town.

Paws Town opened last year on 31⁄2 acres near Boardman Park’s Southern Boulevard entrance, funded by a contribution from the Marge Hartman Foundation and other donations after community members pushed for a dog park. It now has about 125 members.

“We know that dog parks are a very popular trend in the world of parks and recreation,” Slagle said.

The park, which is members-only, requires payment and proof that dogs are vaccinated and registered with the county. It also has rules so that members feel safe, Slagle said.

“Dog parks that require memberships have advantages,” he said. “In our rules and regulations, aggressive dogs are prohibited,” for example.

Small and large dogs get separate spaces, and other features include water fountains, a dog wash station, benches and waste bags.

Park staff members monitor the park throughout the day, and a double-gate entry system provides added safety. Members also must display membership tags while they’re at Paws Town.

The biggest benefits of Paws Town, officials and members say, are the opportunities for socialization and off-leash exercise.

McCallum and her husband, Chris, often bring Sadie to the park, and say she’s great with other dogs.

Park officials want to add a wood-fiber walking path around Paws Town and some landscaping to the space. The main landscaping features now are memorial trees that people can plant in honor of deceased pets.

Registration for one-year memberships through March 31, 2016, is now open. Registration packets are available at the park office, 375 Boardman-Poland Road.

The cost is $40 for one dog and $10 for each additional dog for Boardman residents. The cost for nonresidents is $65 for one dog and $10 for each additional dog. One-day passes are available for $5.