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Sometimes too much of a Good Thing….
As you know our beloved Bark Park will be holding the last Saturday event of the season this weekend. We have had a wonderful season making friends and taking pictures of the dogs at play. It has been a constant source of Saturday entertainment for the dogs and I since May. Many of you have made comments how lucky we are to have so many options of places to go and things to do with the dogs. Sometimes so many choices is not such a good thing. Bark Park will be holding it’s last event this Saturday. I am absolutely gutted. The owner sent out an email late last night and read it first thing this morning.
“It is with great sadness that we are announcing that this Saturday will be the very last BarkPark.
Since we opened in 2000 BarkPark has raised over one million dollars for animal welfare. Over the years we have funded numerous programs, provided supplies/equipment for shelters, purchased education material to be handed out and helped the dozens of organizations who are beneficiaries of a BarkPark Saturday with funds to pay medical bills. Thousands of animals lives have been saved or enriched through your donations.
As you can tell I am very proud of BarkPark’s accomplishments, but each year it becomes a little more difficult and this last year was especially hard. The new for-profit/public parks have taken away all of the waiting list and many of our members. Each year it has been a struggle to keep membership at a level that would make it profitable to continue and with a struggling economy we can only expect membership to continue dropping….”
Like all good things, this too must come to an end. So what now? Marcia did such a great job. She is a dog icon. I will always admire her generosity and dedication to dog welfare. We will miss you Bark Park!
Will this be the end of dog park pictures? Absolutely not! We will find another haunt no doubt. It won’t be the same, but we will make new doggie friends. I already had my eye on the Companion Club Dog Park which is right down the way from them. Several of our doggie friends have been looking there or have joined already (Jack & Greta and the Newfs). Its alot more expensive, but its private and the best part is that it is open 365! I had already been thinking about joining in addition to Bark Park for the winters and Sundays. Guess the deal is sealed. Here’s a picture from their site…
As one chapter ends…. another begins.
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Good for you and your Newfies and other doggie friends. I get annoyed at people always wanting taxpayers to pay for and maintain a park for dogs instead of taking it on themselves to fund it. Sorry that you have to move, but it will probably work out well.
jans last blog post..England’s worse joke is a Poodle joke
Nothing stays the same for long it seems, even when we wish it would. Sounds like you’ve got some nice options still available for the dogs though and I’ll be looking forward to the pictures from the new park being year-round.
Maries last blog post..First & Last of the Fall Pictures
So sad to hear about a park closing, but in these economic times it’s not a surprise. However, the other park looks like a great new place for the pups to explore. Have fun with them at your new park — looks like there’s a nice river too!
NanjoDogzs last blog post..Glow in the Dark Soaps
That is such a bummer……
I am sure you will find something else…..Paws are crossed.
Wish we had something like that in Utah….
Anns last blog post..Our "dog" Socks
That’s too sad that there will be no more bark park. I hope your last time will be the greatest time!!
Christys last blog post..Taking it off Together Tuesday
aww such a shame. I always love looking and reading how much you had.
=]
Have fun on your last Bark Park
xx
MissJessixas last blog post..Vetrap
As one of your number one bark park fans, i am very sad at your email. Pooky said something about one stair gate closing and another stair gate opening - I think that sounds like a good thing???? Look paward to your new adventures and seeing your fab pictures of the gang.
\Love George
Georgeous Georges last blog post..George Finally Gets His Parcel
Oh I am sorry to hear that news
But, as the words from that Semisonic song go … “Closing time - every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”
Cheers
Charlie
Charlie Danielss last blog post..It’s that day again …
How sad about your BarkPark! The new one looks like fun! We know you guys will find something that you like!
Love ya lots,
Maggie and Mitch
Maggie & Mitchs last blog post..Is It Poison?
Wow, how sad that Bark Park is truly over. And over a million dollars raised, that’s just incredible! I wish we had something like this around where we live. Glad to hear you have an alternative, though.
Brown dog kisses,
Dannan
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Wow, it is sad that the dog park is closing. What a great event to help raise money for a worthy cause. Hopefully you guys will enjoy the new dog park! We have some small parks around the place I live, but none that are really nice. Have fun this weekend!
wow, a million dollars is a serious amount of money!
How sad it’s closing though, it sounded just perfect from your blogposts and photos. I hope you find somewhere just as good.
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Jan - I like the private parks better anyways to be honest. People that pay the money tend to be more responsible, there is control over vaccinations and you know who’s there. Dogs that don’t behave aren’t allowed back. Luckily the park is very near the old one and we will still be able to see quite a few of our friends. Maybe Marcia will change her mind and open next year… paws crossed.
Marie.. i am so thankful for options! Hopefully this new one will work out and we will enjoy it as much.
Thanks Ann!
Thanks Christy.. I will be taking video and photos this week. i cant decide which dogs to bring yet! I am thinking the same clan as last week… they all had so much fun together. I want to try out the new place very soon.
Thanks Jessixa… We are really going to miss our Saturday fun spot!
It’s a pity Saturday bark park has to close it’s gates but, you know, me and Mum are always looking for new walks around where we live. We like exploring new things, making new friends. Change is not always bad.
Enjoy the new Place!
Love
Finni xx
Finnis last blog post..Reminiscing …
Oh no! Sorry to hear that Bark Park is closing. I always loved looking at the photos wishing we had something like that here. We only have public parks and you never know who’s going to be there and what their dogs are like…
I hope you find somewhere that you enjoy just as much.
Jedis last blog post..Jedi Arts: Jedi & Back-end awareness
We are very sorry to hear about your dog park closing! Very sad indeed!
Love,
Sami
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So sorry to hear about Bark Park closing! What is happening to it? If all the dog owners volunteered to take care of it and donated $, would it still not be enough? That is very sad, because it looked like a terrific and fun place for the doggies. (And it also looks about 20 times bigger than any dog run I’ve been to!
Biggie-Zs last blog post..More reasons weekends are better
I cried when I read the email from Marcia. I am SO very sad. Bark Park is/was the best. I hate giving up so I sent her an email asking her to PLEASE reconsider. We are in Grove City and we have no good dog parks (or any for that matter) that are close to us. We loved how Bark Park was for the rescues and how they have volunteers walking around and don’t put up with the misbehaved dogs (I know because my friends dog got banned from the park, which he deserved).
I also heard about Companion Club, but I like to support places that are for the good and I know when we contacted them about holding our rescue reunion they wanted to charge us close to $400 to host the event there. When you are a non-profit rescue you just don’t have the money to shell out for that so we had to pass and luckily Missi from Bark Til Dark Dog Park was nice enough to help us out, so I think even though it is a very long drive for us we might have to join Bark Til Dark now. It is open year round as well, but with as far as it is from us we will still only get to go once a week.
I am just very sad…okay for such a long “comment” hehe
hokey thats a lot of dogs..
We attempt to take just our 1 for a walk and cant imagine trying to take 2
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