EASTHAMPTON — After multiple years in the works, Friends of the Easthampton Dog Park are increasing their fundraising efforts to bring a dog park to Nonotuck Park in Easthampton.
Everyone is invited to a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser hosted by the group on Wednesday, Sept. 10 from 4-7 p.m., at the American Legion Hall in Easthampton. Attendees must pay $12 to enjoy a full spaghetti dinner with salad, and Italian and garlic bread, with proceeds going toward the dog park. The group is asking for RSVP’s for the event to be emailed to easthamptondogpark@gmail.com or for people to drop-in on the night.
Friends of Easthampton Park President Joan Kurtz says this is the perfect opportunity to get the community involved.
“The idea is that people who are dog lovers, members on our list and members of the community who don’t know about us to come and just socialize, get to know one another and ask questions” she said about the fundraiser.
Kurtz feels Easthampton is a prime location for a dog park, but the group needs funding to make it possible.
The city’s Parks and Recreation Commission approved a site plan for the dog park last December by the wooded area next to Pavilion 3 in Nonotuck Park. Friends of the Easthampton Dog Park have been working with the Parks and Recreation Department Director John Mason to organize and plan for the dog park that is estimated to cost between $200,000 and $250,000 to construct.
The idea for a dog park in Easthampton has been around for more than five years, but was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most recently in April, the Friends of the Easthampton Dog Park requested $31,000 from the Community Preservation Act (CPA), but the offer was denied due to a lack of funding at the time to complete the project in one phase.
Kurtz said the proposed dog park would be similar to parks in other communities. It would encompass about 1.5 acres of fenced land with two sections. Three quarters would be designated to larger dogs and the other quarter for smaller ones. There will be benches, water fountains, waste stations and climbing structures, and many of the trees will remain to provide shade. The outer fencing will have shrubs and bushes around the outside to maintain privacy from other people using the park.
Kurtz joined the group in 2021, after getting a new dog and desiring a park in Easthampton to have a closer location to travel.
“Why should we have to take our dogs out of the city?” she questioned, citing parks in Amherst, Holyoke, Agawam and South Hadley. “I make donations to South Hadley because I use their park but I’d rather make donations to our park which could be five or ten minutes away … A lot of people don’t have the ability to get to dog parks in other cities or towns, but they would have the ability to get to Nonotuck.”
The group is working to organize a new CPA grant application to submit to the CPA Committee by Oct. 2 to gain a large boost of funding. Money for the park would come entirely from fundraising, with major contributions through grants which have been difficult to access for the group due to funding rollbacks.
The group has created sponsorship opportunities, including for at least six benches, three waste stations and two water fountains, some of which have already been paid for.
Other sponsorship opportunities include $1,000 , $500 and $250 requests that would give sponsors special titles and recognition. The largest sponsorship deal worth $2,500 is called the “Top Dog Sponsorship,” includes naming rights of a dog park feature or amenity, signage at the park, special recognition at the groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting ceremony, and the title of “Top Dog” on the park’s website and social media.
“The bottom line was everybody kept saying, ‘Why can’t we have it in Nonotuck Park?’ It’s our city park, we should have our dog park there … ” Kurtz said about the dog park. “It will be a win-win for everybody.”
For more information visit easthamptondogpark.org.
