Medina wants new dog park to be ready in summer
Photos by Tom Rivers: Medina’s new dog park will be constructed next to the Compost Plant on North Gravel Road. This group includes, from left: Cindy Davis, owner of the Pet Nanny; Alaina Wilson, dog park organizer; and Mayor Mike Sidari. Davis also brought Ryden, the dog, along for a walk.
MEDINA – Cindy Davis, owner of the Pet Nanny in Medina, sees many benefits for dogs getting exercise. They are better behaved, they sleep more soundly, and they enjoy the socialization when they are outside.
Davis is busy with a business where she takes dogs for walks. She is excited to see Medina working towards building a new dog park. The Village Board on Monday approved having a dog park next to the former Compost Plant on North Gravel Road.
Alaina Wilson and Cindy Davis stopped by the former Compost Plant on Friday to look over the grounds. Two enclosures will be built on the side of the building, one for large dogs and the other for agility exercises.
“Dogs aren’t just dogs anymore,” Davis said. “They are family.”
The village looked at having a designated spot for dogs at one of the village parks, but those parks tend to have many neighbors nearby.
“We looked at all of the parks and we wanted to disturb as few people as possible,” said Alaina Wilson, the lead organizer for the dog park.
The Compost plant has few neighbors and it has a buffer of trees on the sides of the property. It’s also on a high-traffic road that should be easy to find, said Mayor Mike Sidari.
He praised Alaina Wilson for pushing the park, and having the determination to find a suitable location. Wilson also is taking the lead with raising $20,000 for the park. That will pay for three fenced-in enclosures, with one spot for smaller dogs, another area for larger dogs, and an agility area.
“The sooner we can raise the money, the sooner we can build it,” she said. “I’m hoping it will be ready during the summer.”
Donations can be sent by check to the Village Office and be designated for the Dog Park. Wilson also is setting up a GoFundMe for the park and will have other fundraisers. She also welcomes donations of benches and other furniture for the park.
There will be a list of sponsors at the park, for donors who give at least $100. Davis, owner of the Pet Nanny, was the first to commit to $100.
“I can only walk so many dogs a day,” she said. “Pets are a big thing for a lot of people.”
Alaina Wilson is pictured near the front of former Compost Plant where a fenced-in area for small dogs will be built. The Compost Plant is now used for storage by the village.
Wilson, 28, is a doctoral student at Medaille College in Buffalo, studying clinical psychology. She used to live in North Carolina and saw the benefits of a dog park where the dogs get needed exercise and socialization. Dog owners also make friends with the other dog owners.
“It’s something that’s missing in Medina right now and I want to see Medina grow,” she said.
Mayor Sidari backed the project. He sees it as an asset to Medina residents, and he expects the park will draw visitors to Medina for people looking for a spot for their dogs to run. He has heard from many people who drive nearly an hour to go to a dog park.
He also thinks the site can make Medina stand out for site selectors and prospective businesses. Medina has the infrastructure for new businesses. But often it’s quality of life issues that sway a business owner to build in a certain community.
“Businesses look at what is available,” he said. “After they look at water, sewer and infrastructure, they look at what’s available with the schools and activities.”
Wilson will share updates on the dog park on the group’s Facebook page. Click here for more information.
