Some fifth graders in Bradford didn’t understand why the city
didn’t have a place for them to take their dogs to play, so they
did something about it.

Terri Smith’s class from School Street Elementary School decided
to go to a Bradford City Council meeting and present their idea for
a dog park.

“The students presented it to the city council, I was just there
with them,” fifth grade teacher Terri Smith said.

When asked where the idea came from, Smith said that the
students asked her why there wasn’t a dog park in Bradford and, as
a dog lover herself, she thought that was a good question.

Smith believes a dog park would be a great thing to have in
Bradford. Her daughter lives in Pittsburgh and Smith said there are
a few dog parks in the city. When she visits her daughter, they
take their dogs to Frick Park.

Smith said that her students just want a safe place to take
their dogs so they will be able to play together, get exercise and
socialize.

Smith and the class then began looking into if it was possible
to have a dog park in Bradford. That’s when they decided to go to a
city council meeting and present their idea on a dog park.

When the class realized it was possible to have a dog park in
Bradford, a committee was formed with Lexy Pascarella as the
committee chairman. Their current objectives are fundraising and
finding a suitable site for the dog park.

To raise funds, they are collecting donations and have a
donation box located at the city treasurer’s office. They are also
looking for volunteers that would want to help with the planning or
are willing to work.

There are three sites – one being ideal – that are being
researched as a possible suitor for the dog park, according to Tom
Riel, city council member who oversees the parks department. He did
not specify what locations were being considered.

Riel explained that having a park is all dependent on
fundraising, because the city most likely doesn’t have the money to
contribute. Riel expects a decision to be made sometime in the next
couple of weeks.

According to Riel, research is currently being done on dog parks
from other cities to help get ideas for the development of one in
Bradford.

In the future, plans are to have a Bradford Dog Park Association
and a Web site.

Anyone that is interesting in helping with this community
project can send a letter of interest, telling the class how they
would like to help, to 5th Grade Class, Mrs. Smith, 76 School St.,
Bradford, Pa. 16701.