Eagle Scout working to bring dog park to Youngstown

Submitted

Many residents of Youngstown have been driving to Lewiston to make use of the dog park there for some time now. However, Youngstown's Veterans Park will soon be getting a dog park, too.

Eagle Scout candidate Liam Robinson of Boy Scout Troop 855 Lewiston, a Lewiston-Porter student and Town of Porter resident, has proposed a dog park be created at Veterans Park in Youngstown for his Eagle Scout project. Robinson worked with the Recreation Board of Youngstown to develop the dog park proposal and it was recently approved by the Youngstown Village Board.

We would like to thank the board for its approved financial support of the project.

Baseball field No. 5 at Veterans Park is an underutilized part of the park and will be repurposed to create the dog park. The renovations will start with the expansion of the existing fencing to enclose the infield section of the diamond to create two separate areas. There will be a smaller, 4,000-square-foot enclosure and a larger, 12,000-square-foot enclosure. The two areas will allow families with larger and smaller dogs to both enjoy the park at the same time. Existing dugouts will allow dog owners to sit and watch as their dogs play in the new off-leash areas. The project also includes refurbishing the existing trash receptacle holders, replacing the wood on the benches, installing dog waste stations, and dog park signage.

Fundraising efforts are underway to purchase the materials needed to complete the project, which is anticipated to be completed by the end of July. The fencing materials for the dog park will be provided by Fox Fence Inc. The fence material is being provided at below cost by Trustee Mark Fox.

Youngstown’s recreation director, Jeff Gruarin, said, “We’re looking forward to the dog park being the first of many projects at Veterans Park. Liam’s idea allows us to use old (baseball) infrastructure in a new, creative way.”

The Village Recreation Board will plan a family, pet-friendly event in Veterans Park to celebrate the project’s completion and debut a master plan for the park. Follow the Village of Youngstown Recreation Department for more information on the event details as they’re made available.

For more information regarding this project, or to learn how to get involved, please contact Liam Robinson at [email protected] or Kyle Heath at [email protected].

Eagle Scout candidate Liam Robinson of Boy Scout Troop 855 is working with the Recreation Board of Youngstown to transform Veterans Park field No. 5 into a dog park. This will be done through the expansion of existing fencing to create two separate areas for smaller and bigger dogs. Existing trash receptacle holders and benches will have their wood and bolts replaced and painted. After the project is approved by the local Boy Scout Council, funds can be raised to purchase the materials needed to finish the project. The fencing materials for the dog park will be provided by Fox Fence Inc.