Bradford City Council has “gone to the dogs” in an effort to
help fifth graders from Terri Smith’s class at School Street
Elementary School.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, students Lexandria Pascarella and
Samantha Hitchcock gave a presentation to council about an idea
their class has for a dog park in the city. Smith, along with
students Sierra Campbell and McKayla Blake, helped out.
The students explained that dogs aren’t allowed in city parks
now, and pet owners could use a place to play with their canine
companions.
“It would be a fenced in area so the dogs couldn’t get out,”
Samantha said.
“Do you have an idea of a location?” asked Mayor Michele
Corignani.
“Not yet,” Samantha replied. “We’ve been looking,” Lexandria
added.
They asked for council’s help in coming up with possible
locations for a pooch park.
Councilman Ross Neidich, who oversees the parks department, said
that he would speak to Parks Director Chip Comilla to see if there
was any available land in the parks department that may
qualify.
The students asked for permission to leave a donation box at
city hall for anyone interested to drop off donations towards a
park. Corignani said it would be in the treasurer’s office. Before
the evening was finished, the girls had raised $51 from those
present at the meeting.
Councilman Dan Costello praised the students’ efforts, and asked
Smith where the idea for a dog park had come from.
Smith explained, “My daughter lives in Pittsburgh. They have dog
parks there.” When she was explaining the parks to her students,
they asked why Bradford didn’t have one. She encouraged them to do
something about it.
“The kids went online and did some research,” she said. “We’re
learning about local government,” so the presentation before city
council was a learning experience in that respect as well, Smith
explained.
She asked council what the students’ next step should be in
their project.
Neidich said he would speak to Comilla “to see what kind of land
we have available and go from there. At least it’s a start.”
“This is a positive thing that’s good for the whole community,”
Costello said, again commending the students.
In other action, council approved several sidewalk improvement
grants as part of the 2005 Community Development Block Grant
program to assist low and moderate income homeowners with
replacement of their sidewalks.
The applications approved were as follows: $1,386.51 to Frank
and Nancy Allen for 85 State St.; $1,296.33 to Evelyn Carlson for
81 State St.; $971.44 to Mary Hulings for 108 School St.; and
$1,549 to Francis Butler for 10 York St.
Council also
* Appointed Jim Copeland and Joe Brauser to three-year terms on
the Downtown Bradford Business District Authority, and Kevin
Shaffer to a one-year term;
* Approved payment of $3,887.50 to Futures Rehabilitation Center
Inc. for the replacement of a sidewalk at 150 Kennedy St.;
* Approved a $10,000 Community Revitalization Assistance Grant
from the state Department of Community and Economic Development, to
be used to purchase Critical Incident Response Equipment for the
City of Bradford Police Department; and
* Approved leasing space in the new Department of Public Works
building on Holley Avenue to McCourt Label and to Phillip
Verolini.
