CARNDUFF — Carnduff had a problem. Dog owners were exercising their pets on the school grounds. Unfortunately, students were using those same grounds for recess and often ended up with undesirable smelly stuff on their shoes.
Krista Larson decided to do something about this. Using Facebook, she asked for help in creating a dog park. The response was good and a committee was formed to look at possible options. Information was collected and presented to Town Council.
There was a densely treed area immediately south of the ball diamond complex that was not being used. Council gave their approval for that cluster of trees to be used as a dog park. Some trees would have to go, but Council was okay with the bark of trees giving way to the bark of dogs.
The transformation would cost about $10,000. Fundraising began, including the sale of a calendar featuring local dogs. The money was raised and the work began – trees were removed, a fence was built, signage was put up and doggy bag stands were erected. Nixon Lumber donated a shed to house the maintenance gear.
In 2015, the Carnduff Bark Park, the only Saskatchewan dog park southeast of Carlyle, was ready to go.
It has been really good for Carnduff. School kids no longer worry about stepping in something gross. Dogs who shared a common town without knowing it have become best of friends. In fact, dogs have even met dogs from far away places like Oxbow and Redvers. Friendships have even developed between the owners of the dogs.
Other communities considering creating dog parks of their own have come to look at Carnduff’s as a model to follow. It’s been that good.
Currently, the executive committee of the Bark Park consists of nine ladies and they’re not interested in maintaining the status quo. They hold fundraiser BBQs every year to raise money to maintain the park (this year’s BBQ was the first since 2019 due to COVID) and they’re planning to create a memorial section to help keep alive the memories of dogs who have gone to the ultimate Bark Park in the sky. The committee also invites the community to join in for a clean-up day every year but usually only their spouses respond.
The Bark Park has been a howling success. The bark of trees was good but the bark of dogs enjoying their freedom is so much better.
