Scouts' dog park idea progresses

BETHEL -- Twelve-year-old Katie Galvin has a yellow lab called Alfie that loves to run, but she knows some families in town don't have a place for their dogs to exercise.

The seventh-grader at Bethel Middle School is among the eight members of Bethel Cadette Troop 50711 who are making progress on their idea of building a dog park in town.

"We think it would be good for the dogs to socialize with other dogs, and it would be good for their health," Katie said.

The scouts have captured the attention of the town Parks and Recreation Commission.

Last Wednesday, the commission discussed the idea that the scouts had presented to them at a meeting.

"We are in the preliminary stage of researching to see if we can install one," said Eileen Earle, Parks and Recreation Department director. "We're pretty excited."

The discussion is to put the park in the old playground area at Meckauer Park, because it has bathrooms, some fencing and water.

Earle has discussed the idea with the town attorney and insurance company and learned that insurance would cost about $1,000 a year.

Now Earle must meet with the dog warden, get estimates on the fencing costs, and then meet with the Girl Scouts to set up a fundraising plan.

The girls researched rules of other parks, such as all dogs must be vaccinated, and met with the Newtown officials who are creating a park in that town, said Katie's mother, Linda Galvin, who is a co-leader of the troop with Lisa Cohn.

In addition, the girls want to paint a mural on the concrete bathrooms, she said, to make them look better.

The scouts already made a video using a couple of their dogs, which will become part of the fundraising campaign when it is approved, she said.

The girls are using the dog park for their Silver Award Project, which is a group "Take Action" project that scout troops do in seventh and eighth grade.

"They identify issues they care about, and animals are one issue that is popular," said Janet Ridnour, senior director of program services for Girl Scouts of Connecticut. "Their job is to look for the root cause of the problem, find a solution and put it into motion."

There are 45,000 Girl Scouts in the state in kindergarten through 12th grade. Of them, 800 middle school students each year earn their Silver Awards, Ridnour said.

"Just having a voice, being in public and showing their concerns, and showing a plan for a solution is good experience," Ridnour said. "Not all the projects are successful, but we feel the process of doing it is as important as the end result."

The process has been very smooth, Katie said.

"For me, it's helped with my presentation skills. I had to speak in front of many people, and it made me more confident," she said.

"It's also teaching me all the things you have to go through to meet the regulations."

eileenf@newstimes.com; 203-731-3333