The City of Bradford still has no dog park, but the idea has not
left the minds of those interested in seeing one come to
fruition.

Last year, Terri Smith’s fifth grade students from School Street
Elementary School went for a ride with Parks Director Chip Comilla
and Councilman Tom Riel, who oversees the parks department, in an
effort to see if the city could help the students find space for
such a park.

Since then, the project had been on hold, but is not out of the
mind of Smith and the students in her classes.

“We still have $1,125 saved from last year we collected,” said
Smith.

She said at this time, the Downtown Bradford Revitalization
Corp. is helping her students by holding the money for them until a
suitable area is found to house the park.

Riel and Comilla took the students on a bus ride to look at
three possible areas for the dog park. In this way they could help
the students find an area to house it while offering to negotiate
with any land owners if needed. At no time was the city going to
take over the project and operate the dog park.

At this time, students are still planning what rules they may
implement if such a park does get built.

They want to make sure dog owners have licensed and vaccinated
dogs, that dog owners remain with their dogs while at the park, dog
owners must clean up after their dogs, and they discussed possible
fines for dogs and owners disobeying the rules.

They are learning the best way to manage a park that benefits
dogs, who are normally leashed. They are also looking for an area
they can fence in, yet is large enough for dogs to run and
socialize.

At this time, only one of the three areas the students visited
last spring is being considered.

The areas were a park at the corner of Rochester Street and
Grove Avenue, which a railroad company actually owns; an area near
the current McKean County SPCA on Glenwood Avenue, which the
children thought might be cruel for the shelter dogs to be near;
and a spot on the corner of Mill Street and Jackson Avenue. That
spot is currently being used by a construction company working on
the U.S. Route 219 Bradford bypass.

So at this time, students just dream and talk about how they
would manage a dog park if and when it is built.

Those wishing to help get the park developed or wanting to make
a donation can contact Smith at School Street Elementary
School.