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BASEBALL DIAMONDS, A MULTI-PURPOSE PRACTICE FIELD, AND AN INDOOR COURT. STEVEN: A GIRL’S DESIRE TO PLAY WITH HER DOG HAS PUT ONE KANSAS TOWN ON THE PATH TO GETTING ITS FIRST EVER DOG PARK. HALEY: KMBC 9’S WILLIAM JOY SHOWS HOW SHE’S TURNING HER DREAM INTO A REAL CITY PLAN. >> THIS ONE WAS A REALLY GOOD SITE THAT WE LIKED. WILLIAM: ANNABELLE SHAW ISN’T A CITY PLANNER. >> HAS A WATER HOOKUP. WILLIAM: IN FACT, THE 13-YEAR-OLD HASN’T STARTED HIGH SCHOOL YET, BUT HER BOSTON TERRIER NAMED BAXTER. MOTIVATED HER TO LAY OUT PLANS FOR PAOLA’S FIRST DOG PARK. >> HE’S PRETTY MUCH THE REASON I STARTED THIS SO HE COULD HAVE ROOM TO RUN AND PLAY. WILLIAM: RIGHT NOW, THE CLOSEST PARK IS ABOUT A HALF HOUR AWAY IN OLATH >> WE HAD TO JUST GO UP THERE, BRING OUR DOG, FIND A WAY TO KEEP OUR DOG COOL AND NOT BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ELSE THAT DAY. WILLIAM: SHE TOOK HER PLANS TO CITY COUNCIL AND TO HER SURPRISE, THEY DECIDED TO GO FORWARD WITH THE IDEA. >> I’VE PRETTY MUCH HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT. I THINK IT’S BECAUSE I’VE STUCK WITH THI WILLIAM: THE PAOLA’S CITY MANAGER TELLS ME WHILE THIS ISN’T A REALITY JUST YET, IT IS FAR FROM A PIPE DREAM. ANABELLE IS PART OF A CITY-FORMED TASK FORCE TO WORK OUT THE FINE DETAILS AND FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT. >> I’M KIND OF SURPRISED BY HOW MUCH PROGRESS WE’VE ALREADY MADE BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG STEP ALREADY. WILLIAM: THEIR FAVORITE SITE IS RIGHT NEAR MINEOLA LAKE. >> COME ON. COME ON. WILLIAM: IT’S A POPULAR SPOT WHERE THEY HOPE IT’LL SOON BE LEGAL TO PLAY WITHOUT A LEASH. WILLIAM JOY, KMBC 9 NEWS. STEVEN THE WEATHER IS PERFECT FOR GETTING OUT WITH YOUR DOG. PAOLA’S CITY MANAGER SAYS THEY’VE PUT TOGETHER AN OUTLINE AND ARE WORKIN

Advertisement 13-year-old girl working to get a Kansas town its first dog park Annabelle Shaw has been planning it since sixth grade Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A young girl’s desire to play with her dog has put one Kansas town on the path to getting its first dog park. Annabelle Shaw is not a city planner. In fact, the 13-year-old hasn’t started high school yet, but her Boston terrier, named Baxter, motivated her to lay out plans for Paola’s first dog park.“He’s pretty much the reason I started this, so he could have room to run and play,” she said. “He can’t be able to run out because there’s cars everywhere.”Right now, the closest dog park is about a half-hour away in Olathe.“We had to just go up there, bring our dog, find a way to keep our dog cool and not be able to do anything else that day,” Shaw said. She originally got the idea in sixth grade. After planning, she took her idea to City Council and to her surprise, they decided to go forward with the idea. “I’ve pretty much had a lot of support,” she said. “I think it’s because I’ve stuck with this. I didn’t just start it and just like fall out of it or something.” Paola City Manager Jay Wieland said the project still has a long way to go but it’s more than just a dream.Earlier this week, the city assembled a task force that includes Shaw and has already met. They’re working out the finer details of the project including funding. “I’m kind of surprised by how much progress we’ve already made because this is a big step already,” Shaw said. Her favorite site is right near Miola Lake in Paola. It’s a popular spot already, and she hopes it’ll soon be legal to play with Baxter without a leash. “I’m feeling pretty good about it,” she said. Wieland said if everything stays on track, the project could be completed in around a year.