Community meeting Tuesday night

Please join the West Hartford Dog Park Coalition in showing your support for the dog park project by attending an information meeting on three major projects impacting the New Park Avenue / Flatbush Avenue neighborhoods. The meeting will be held at Charter Oak School, 425 Oakwood Avenue, on Tuesday, December 7 at 7 PM, in the school auditorium.

The agenda includes:

· A status report on the proposed Dog Park on the grounds of The Home Depot, 503 New Park Avenue
· An update on the DOT Flatbush Avenue flyover bridge and Busway project
· An overview of the New Britain Avenue road improvement project slated for Spring 2011

Presenters will include Town Manager Ron Van Winkle, Community Services Director Rob Rowlson, and Leisure Services Director Jim Capodiece. Residents will have an opportunity to ask questions.

We hope to see you there! (Don't forget to wear your green dog park tees.)

West Hartford's annual Halloween Costume Pet Parade

Don’t miss West Hartford's annual Halloween Costume Pet Parade!

Dress up your pet in your favorite halloween costume and come join the fun! Judging for the best costume in each category to be awarded. Prizes and gift baskets!!

When: Saturday, October 23rd; 8:30am Registration; walk begins at 9:00am
Where: Meet at the registration table in town hall parking lot
Cost: $5/pet

Judging will be held at the Blue Back Square Pavilion. Free parking in the town hall parking lot. Enter gate at 50 South Main St. The event will be held rain or shine!

BYOPB, (Bring your own poopy bags)
(If applicable, all proceeds will be donated to The CT Humane Society).
If you would like to help volunteer for the event, please contact Julia Buckley at: Julia.buckley@hotmail.com

*Please note that this is not a WHDPC event.

**BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND**

Blue Back Square Charity Tastes N' Toasts Series to benefit the WHDPC
Wednesday, October 20th from 5pm-9pm
Pick up your admission button at The Counter!

Help the WHDPC raise the funds necessary to build and maintain a Dog Park off Flatbush Avenue! Experience a variety of cuisines and receive discounted drinks, appetizers and/or meal specials at a variety of eateries within Blue Back Square.

Visit our table at The Counter and pick up an admission button with each $10 charitable donation! Hear about the Coalition's Next Steps to make the Dog Park a reality.

Receive a map of participating eateries within Blue Back Square and enjoy a drink, dinner or appetizer special at the participating establishments.

We hope to see you there!
WHDPC Leadership Committee

Thanks for walking in the parade!

A big thank-you to those of you who came out to walk in the Park Road Parade with us October 2. It was a beautiful day!

Join us for the Park Road Parade - October 2nd

Please join the West Hartford Dog Park Coalition as we march with our pups in the annual Park Road Parade!

Park Road on Parade on Saturday, October 2nd

*FINAL INSTRUCTIONS*

The parade begins at: 10:30 a.m.
Participants should be in place no later than: 9:30 a.m.

We are in DIVISION 1 between Sisters of St. Joseph and Children's Museum of Connecticut.

Line up on the north side of Park Road beginning at the corner of South Highland. Enter parade site head-on from Park Road.

PLEASE NOTE: Political signs not allowed.

Remember to wear your green WHDPC t-shirt or other green shirt. Well-behaved dogs must be on leashes no longer than 6 ft. Please clean-up after your dog and bring water if it is a hot day.

We are looking forward to a great turnout in support of the Dog Park!

Any questions? email or call Caroline at barkeater@sbcglobal.net 860.985.4797

Pooch Plunge photos have been posted!

This year's Pooch Plunge was another sucess. Thank you to the hundreds of people and their 4-legged friends who cam out for a swim.

The photos, courtesy of Lisa Asp - owner of Studio 970 Photography, have been posted on our website (http://www.westhartforddogpark.org/) - just follow the link on the "Pooch Plunge" page or click "photos" in the bottom right corner. 100% of the proceeds from your order will be donated to the West Hartford Dog Park, so be sure to order any images you love!

Blue Back Square Charity Tastes N' Toasts Series to benefit the WHDPC

Wednesday, September 1st from 5pm-9pm

Pick up your admission button at The Counter!

Experience a variety of cuisines, while helping the WHDPC raise the funds necessary to bring a Dog Park to West Hartford. Participate in Blue Back Square's Wednesday Night Tastes N' Toasts Series, a weekly event hosted by a different restaurant and including discounted drinks, appetizers and/or meal specials at a variety of eateries within Blue Back Square.

Visit our table at The Counter and pick up an admission button with each $10 charitable donation!

Take the opportunity to learn about the WHDP Coalition's efforts to bring a Dog Park to town.

Receive a map of participating eateries within Blue Back Square. Enjoy a drink, dinner or appetizer special at the participating establishments.

We hope to see you there!

Only 10 days until the Pooch Plunge!

We're very excited for this year's pooch plunge. The West Hartford Dog Park Coalition has the momentum going and we're seeing more support than ever before. We're looking forward to seeing you all come out for the 3rd annual Pooch Plunge on August 23rd. Details are below, in the previous post. Don't forget--your dog needs to be licensed in order to enter so be sure to attach the current license to his/her collar!

Thank you to this years sponsors:

REI
West Hartford Pet Sitters
Pet Supplies Plus
Andrea Zmenyak-Liberno/Allstate Insurance
K-9 Kouture
Peace of Mind Pet Sitting

Third Annual Pooch Plunge is Scheduled!

Join the West Hartford Dog Park Coalition for our third annual Pooch Plunge! The dog swim event will be held the evening of Monday, August 23rd at Kennedy Pool in West Hartford from 3:30pm – 7:30pm. Mark your calendar for the best dog event in West Hartford! Admission is just $5.00 per dog per session. Because this continues to be such a popular event, we will be splitting the swim into two sessions: from 3:30pm – 5:15pm and from 5:30pm – 7:30pm, AND clearing the pool in between. Please plan accordingly!

For those who have not participated in the past, we hold the event the day after the pool closes for the summer. Dogs are given open access to the pool and get an opportunity to socialize with other area dogs. For pictures from last year’s fun event (courtesy of Lisa Asp and Studio 970 Photography), watch the slideshow:



Make sure your dog is licensed! Please note that only dogs with a current license in their town will be allowed to participate. If you are a West Hartford Resident, click here for details on getting your dog licensed.

This year we will have Sponsor Coupon Books for you to take home and take advantage of a variety of discounts/offers at a later date. Please be sure to thank our sponsors for thier support!

A little humor with breakfast...

Congrats to our winners!

What a terrific weekend at Celebrate West Hartford, despite Saturday's weather. So many of you stopped by to ask questions and show your support. We collected several hundred signatures for our petition, which will be an important factor in our application for the Town Planning and Zoning. In addition, there were a LOT of people who took part in our raffle. The gift basket winners have been notified and are:

Basket #1 Going away to summer camp - Ticket # 176968 - Heather
Basket #2 Making the house a home - Ticket # 176541 - Melissa
Basket #3 A LONG weekend without the dog - Ticket # 176958 - Liz
Basket #4 A little something for them, and a little something for us - Ticket # 176599 - The Marshalls
Basket #5 Take a pretty picture - Ticket # 176627 - Chris
Basket #6 Forget about the dog, it’s all about me - Ticket# 176636 - Tim

Thanks again for all your support! Continue to watch the blog and join our Facebook page for updates and event notifications. If you'd like to be more involved, we're always looking for volunteers! Send us an email (WestHartfordDogPark@gmail.com) or attend an upcoming meeting. The next one is for the Fundraising Committee and will be this Thursday evening (June 17) at 7:00 at Town Hall, Room 217.

Celebrate West Hartford!

The West Hartford Dog Park Coalition will have a booth this weekend at Celebrate West Hartford. Stop by to purchase your very own green T-shirt or Dog Park button, sign our petition, and get you questions answered about the progress of the project. You'll find us in booth 81, between Town Hall and the police station, near the food court. While visiting our booth, be sure to take part in our gift basket raffle. Buy some tickets and choose which basket you'd like to try to win. So far we have 6 great prizes available:

Going away to summer camp
Uber Dog 10 Day Doggie Daycare Pass
Pet Supplies Plus dog bed, collar and leash, toys and treats

Making the house a home
Studio 970 Photography $200 Gift Certificate
Pier One Gift Certificate

Weekend without the dog
Halls Market Gift Certificate
Planet Bark 2 Day Overnight Stay

A little something for them, and a little something for us
Bravo! Dog Food gift basket
A Little Something Bakery Gift Certificate and lb. of coffee
Dog bowl, chews, treats, outside toys, Chuckit

Take a pretty picture
Honey Haven $45 Gift Certificate
Christopher David Photography Gift Certificate for pet-portrait session, including 2 framed 8x10 prints

Forget about the dog, it’s all about me
Moda Rey Salon pedicure gift certificate
Fit To The Core 4-week Boot Camp certificate
Mary Kay sunscreen skin care products

We hope to see you this weekend!

June is Dog License Renewal Month

June is dog license renewal month in Town Clerks' offices throughout the state, and the West Hartford Town Clerk’s Office mailed postcard reminders to over 3,000 dog owners, urging owners to make their pets “legal.”

State law requires all dogs over 6 months of age must be registered and receive a dog tag annually. The numbered tag serves as identification for any pet that may wander away from home. The annual cost for dog licenses is $19.00 for unaltered animals and $8.00 for neutered or spayed animals.

In addition, all dogs must be vaccinated against rabies and a certificate from the veterinarian must be presented in order to purchase a license. If a pet is being licensed for the first time and has been altered, a certificate from the vet again must be presented.

This year, the West Hartford Dog Park Coalition has a donation jar in the town clerk's office. While you're renewing your license, we'd love it if you would throw a few bucks in the donation jar to help kick off our fundraising efforts! With 3,000 licensed dogs in West Hartford, we only need to raise $20 per dog to fully fund the building of the dog park.

Applications for dog licenses may be made through the mail or in person at the Town Clerk’s Office. You may reach the Town Clerk's office at (860) 561-7430. The office is located in Town Hall, Room 313, 50 South Main Street. The office hours are Monday and Wednesday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, Tuesday, 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM, Thursday, 8:30 AM - 7:00 PM, and closed Friday.
http://www.west-hartford.com/TownClerk/DogLicenses.htm

Great turnout for the parade

Thanks to everyone who came out to march in the Memorial Day parade with the West hartford Dog Park Coalition! It was a beautiful day and we had a great showing. Our green shirts continue to make a visual impact, especially when we're out in force! Thanks also to the wonderful coalition supporter for sending in the following photos from Monday...

Memorial Day Parade

Monday is shaping up to be a beautiful day--come out and join the West Hartford Dog Park Coalition march in this year's Memorial Day Parade!

Please wear your green WHDPC t-shirt, or other kelly green shirt. Well-behaved dogs on leashes less than 6ft. in length are welcome. Remember to carry some water for your 4-legged friend.

We line up on Farmington Avenue WEST of Newport Avenue and will be directly behind the Sedgwick Marching Band (look for the sea of navy blue polo shirts). The parade will commence promptly at 10 a.m., so please be to our designated area by 9:45am.

Landscape Architect Needed

We need your help! We are looking for a landscape architect who would be willing to donate their time and talent in designing the West Hartford Dog Park. This would be a great opportunity to give back to your community and promote your business!

If you or someone you know could assist in this area, please let us know. If you have questions, please email: westhartforddogpark@gmail.com.

Big Dog Park News!!!

We have a site! It was decided at the Community Planning Committee meeting today that we will move forward with an application to the Zoning Committee for the Fernridge Park site. This is great news and a huge milestone for our project.

Are you interested in helping the project move forward? We're always looking for additional people to get involved:

*Fundraising Committee is meeting next on Thursday, May 13 at 7:00pm at Twon Hall, Room 217.
*PR Committee will be meeting again in the next couple weeks--stay tuned for details.
*The Memorial Day Parade is coming up Monday, May 31 - march in the parade along with the WHDPC!

Additional events will be announced soon. Be sure to check out our Facebook Page for additional even info!

Walk Like MADD: Saturday, May 1

The West Hartford Dog Park Coalition needs volunteers to join us in our participation in the Walk Like MADD even May 1. The event begins at 9:30am and the walk steps off at 10:00am. The 2.5 mile walk goes through Blue Black Square and West Hartford Center and ends back at Town Hall at about 11-11:30am where all walkers are treated to a free lunch. We have confirmed that dogs are welcome to participate in the walk so please feel free to bring them along!


We are in the process of working out the details of how we will be sharing our message with those in attendance at the walk. We have been invited to bring literature, etc. for display in the walk's "Pet Zone" so that should be a great way to raise awareness of the dog park and the process we've been engaged in with the town.


To register for the walk please log on to the website by following this link: http://support.madd.org/site/PageServer?pagename=wp1_homepage

Click the "Participate" button at the top of the screen and select the West Hartford walk on May 1st. We have a team set up for the West Hartford Dog Park Coalition so please select that when you register. Also, please feel free to invite others to join us on the walk and show their support for both the West Hartford Dog Park and MADD! Don't forget to wear your green WHDPC tshirt!


Email or call our PR Chair, Lauren, with any questions: lauren.palmisano@utc.com or 860-306-7300.

New Facebook Page!

We have added a brand new Facebook page--be sure you join in! This will allow us an easy way to hear your feedback and suggestions, post news updates and list upcoming events. Check it out and join in here: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=111274665560951&ref=mf

Volunteer Opportunity

As most of you know, we are currently in the process of identifying a site for the dog park. As soon as the site is finalized, we will need to quickly start the process of raising money to build the park.

We need your help!

If you are willing to donate your time and talent, to assist with creating and implementing a fundraising plan for our group, please contact Caroline Gaetano, Fundraising Chair, at barkeater@sbcglobal.net.

Once the Committee is established, it will meet on a monthly basis, but only if necessary. Please support this project and join the Fundraising Committee.