Did you know that this fall marks the fifth anniversary of the founding of Baltimore City's first official dog park -- the Canton Dog Park, at the corner of Clinton and S. Toone? The Canton Community Association joins the rest of the neighborhood in congratulating the Friends of Canton Dog Park on five terrific years in Canton . . . and here's to many more in the future!
The Dog Park idea really took off in June 2001, when the Baltimore City Board of Recreation and Parks voted to create dog parks in the city. The decision was largely the result of efforts by the Responsible Dog Owners Group, or R-Dog, which had been negotiating with the City to develop a policy on dog parks in the city. The CCA teamed with R-Dog and worked with the Department of Recreation and Parks to identify a suitable location in Canton. The Department settled on the vacant lot located at the northeast corner of the Senator Joseph S. Bonvegna Field, and construction began in September. Exactly one year later, after much fundraising and volunteer work, the ribbon was cut opening the Canton Dog Park on September 15, 2002.
The Canton Dog Park features:
- Open space where dogs can run and play in a legal “off-leash” area
- A double gated perimeter fence, divided into two sections: one for large dogs, and one for smaller or older dogs
- Shade, nearby parking, routine maintenance, and a notice board for dog park rules and related information.
The City's rules for dog parks require a community group to take the initiative by building, maintaining, and supporting the park. That's where the Friends of Canton Dog Park, a CCA subcommittee, come in. According to the partnership agreement that governs the park, the City picks up the trash and maintains the grass outside the park, while the Friends raise all maintenance funds -- an annual expense of $2,500 -- and cleans, sanitizes and repairs everything.
The Friends does this by raising funds through its "Paw Project," an annual summer BBQ, and the ever-popular Howl-O-Ween Dog Festival. The Friends hold monthly cleanups on the first Saturday of each month from 10 am to noon. Friends keep the park clean and swept and make sure "poop" bags are available. The park's rules enforcement system keeps dogs and owners safe and happy according to rules worked out with the City.
How can residents help? The Friends always need volunteers for fundraising, maintenance and rules enforcement. Monthly meetings are the second Tuesday of each month at 7 pm at the CCA offices in the Broom Factory, Suite 235. Dog owners can help by following the rules, cleaning up after their dogs, explaining the rules to new users and -- of course -- through donations.
The park has come a long way in five years. "When I first visited the park about four years ago, it was mostly dirt," recalls Gina Schwind, President of the Friends of Canton Dog Park."There was a wooden beam where the benches are now. We called ourselves the '8:00 am gang.' We would talk about the neighborhood while the dogs wrestled."
As Canton dog owners know, Canton Dog Park is more than just a place; it's about friendships, of both the human and animal kind. "When we came back from Japan after two years, our dog Molly still remembered all her pals and was happy to see them again," recalls Schwind.
Thank you, Canton, for your support over the last five years. Let's continue to work together to keep Canton Dog Park the centerpiece -- and the showpiece -- that it is!
The June 2 assault of East Patterson Park resident Zach Sowers, which left the 27-year-old newlywed in a coma at Johns Hopkins, has galvanized his family, friends, and neighbors into action of a most positive and reaffirming sort. On Sunday, August 5, from 2 pm to 8 pm, they encourage local residents to join them in visiting local bars and restaurants to raise funds for Zach's family and to send a loud-and-clear message that we have the right to feel safe in our neighborhoods.
