The Village Park Committee had an April 7 meeting concerning the proposed dog park, to be named Rosie Paw Park.
Members present: R. Meyers (chair), M. Fenn, P. Parks; Others Present: Kathy Prestidge, Josh Farchuk, Sandy Mitchell, Erika Flowers, and Janine Beauchaine.
Fund Raising
Raffle Tickets and Posters-Posters will be placed downtown Iola and in Waupaca Area starting tomorrow (April 8).
Donation jars for Dog Park will be made available at various businesses and places around Iola. Also information on donation and raffle tickets fund raising for Dog Park will be put into Village Utility Newsletter.
Raffle tickets will be sold until June 30th. Raffle daily drawings will take place July 1 until July 31 – 30 opportunities to win with the same raffle ticket with $300 daily winning amounts, except on Sundays when the winning amount will be $500 for ticket purchasers. All tickets sold past 480 will be proceeds towards the dog park. We have 1,000 tickets to sell by June 30.The Village is our treasurer. All tickets and money will be dropped off to Betty; where new raffle tickets to sell can be picked up.
Additional places and events raise funds and sell raffle tickets: Iola City Wide Rummage Sale – May 19-21 (Thursday-Saturday). Set up table to sell raffle tickets from 10 a.m.-3p.m. in front of Village Hall. Also, those having rummage sales can sell tickets too. Iola Sentry June 11, scheduled day to sell burgers/brats and bakery goods to raise money from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Rick has folding tables for bakery items.
Sponsorship of dog park: Can look at acquiring from individuals and businesses wanting to display sponsorship banners in designated fence spaces, similar to what Iola Car Show does; and sponsorship benches that also indicate financial support of the dog park.
Rick provided committee with a donation/sponsorship tiered “doggy” level-Big Bone, Medium Bone, and Small Bone supporters.
Missy shared information of upcoming Iola Chamber meeting this Wednesday. Rick will attend to share and generate additional information and support from businesses.
Logistics on Dog Park
Dennis D. will be removing trees for the dog park space in exchange for the lumber Rick is still waiting on a stump removal estimates.
Fencing considerations: proposed by Josh, owner of doggy day care that the Dog Park Committee look into “woven wire” fencing rather than a chain-link fence. The benefits-more difficult for dogs to climb because of material, less costly (about $3,000 vs. $15,000) and quicker to set up but still holds up to all types of weather conditions. Janine provides pictures that showed such fencing being used in a dog park. Fence height suggested was 5 feet. For fence posting, Josh suggested landscape timbers. If using year-round, then during winter season, suggest plowing from the fence into the dog space to prevent dogs climbing out. To prevent any dogs from digging out, suggest digging a 4-inch trench, then fill with gravel. Suggest using clover as ground cover because less compactable and less mud instead of a grass space.
Official Dog Park Name: “Rosie Paw Park” (Crystal Café is making a sizable donation in honor of Rosie who passed away).
Purposed usage: Residences of Iola, and others- So important to sell tickets to area residences and the surrounding communities.
Fees: Purpose to make sure those at the dog park have their pets required shots and to help offset maintenance expenses. Need to still decide those expenses. The committee does not want to require fees that are unreasonable to dog park users. Sandy suggested that Rick contact Ginger with New London Park and Recreation to see how the Jaycees accomplished the completion of their dog park.
Rick provided a volunteer sign up list for committee members to participate in the about fundraising events and selling of raffle tickets. The Village will keep track of the number of tickets sold. Suggested selling to neighbors, friends, and other places within the Village and surrounding communities.
Meeting adjourned by Rick and second by Missy at 5:55 p.m.