High School Student Seeks Dog Park for Goshen

In just three days, a GoFundMe campaign has raised $850 for a dog park in Goshen’s Salesian Park.

The project was started by Goshen resident Kelly Fellenzer, a high school student who took on the project for a Girl Scout Gold Award. The award challenges high schoolers to identify an issue in the community and a way to improve it, teaching them about research, planning, and follow through.

Fellenzer has already gotten the design approved by the Joint Recreation Commission, which oversees the parks, and the Goshen Town board.

Goshen Town Supervisor, Doug Bloomfield, said he thought it was more like a dog run, a large fenced in area where dogs can be let off the leash, but the description on the GoFundMe page says it will be a dog park “with agility stations.”

Neither Fellenzer nor the Joint Recreation Commission could be reached in time for publication to provide details.

The campaign has been shared by 361 people and liked by at least 228 people on Facebook.

“With so many dog owners in Goshen, I think it would be absolutely in everyone’s favor!” said Facebook user Livia Ivanovics Buzas, echoing the sentiment of most of the comments.

Only one concern was raised, and that was about the maintenance of the dog park once it was built. The Village of Goshen responded on Facebook that maintenance will be minimal and done by the same agency that does it now.

“The dog park is going to be comprised of fencing, a few benches, and maybe a water fountain at some point. The maintenance will be minimal especially because [the] Joint Rec. [Commission] already mows the grass now. Joint Rec. will continue to maintain this area, but the upfront funding will hopefully all be privately raised.”

The funding goal is $8,000 and goes through the Girl Scouts, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, according to the GoFundMe page.

To contact this reporter, email holly.kellum@epochtimes.com