Save the Date for Otter Lake Dog Park Earth Day Clean Up

For those planning to go to the Maplewood meeting about a proposed dog park, there is an interesting article in the Star Tribune. Online it is at: http://www.startribune.com/local/north/91938959.html?page=1&c=y

Jennifer

I would have come to the clean-up, but I spent four hours cleaning in Sherwood Park in Maplewood instead. Sherwood Park may be the newest dog park in Maplewood, and I wanted to show the neighbors that the dog people clean up parks too.

The dog park plans have a wrench in them, as many neighbors are opposed, and some passionately so. Please come to the May 19th public hearing if you are interested in another fully-fenced dog park in the east metro area. Please make it a "must do" if you are a Maplewood resident!

Thanks!

Therese Sonnek

Several have been asking what they should bring to cleanup day. Susan did a pretty good job of outlining the types of things to bring. For those who are not familiar with what goes on at cleanup day, here is a summary as well as a list of items that you should bring.

The purpose of cleanup day is to clean the dog park and get to know other dog park users that you may not normally run into during your â€Å"regular† schedule. The annual clean up day coincides with Earth Day and is part of several clean up events scheduled within Ramsey County parks. Humans are dogs alike are encouraged to attend.

The tasks that we hope to complete this year include;
Clean up the dog park of missed poops and other trash and debris
Clean trash from parking lot, boat launch area, and frontage along Otter Lake Road
Remove buckthorn, low hanging branches and trip hazards along the trails
Spread woodchips along trails
Identify other maintenance issues that need to be addressed by users or Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Department

Items To Bring
Wear appropriate work clothes and footwear and work gloves
Pooper scoopers
Shovels, Rakes, Pitch Forks
Wheelbarrows
Pruners, bow saws, pick axes
Buckets or containers to hold trash bags (supplied by county)

The Otter Lake Dog Park Users Group will also be collecting donations to put towards maintenance and improvements to the dog park such as new water dishes, gate repairs, sand and chicken grit for the icy times of the year, and a weatherproof bulletin board.

If you have any questions, please see one of the dog park guardians, Lisa, Celeste, and Tom or call 651-269-4296.

As far as I know there's still a bit of mud but it's not too bad that it can't be wiped off the paws of a smaller, lighter dog, but the bigger, heavier dogs do seem to sink in a bit.

There is not enough mud or water for swimming though.

Cheers,
Susan
(owned by Bailey the fastest dog in the park)

Well - the flyer says to bring gloves and pooper scoopers, but from what I saw last year, rakes, wheelbarrows, and trash bags never go to waste. If you have tree pruners, hacksaws and other gardening equipment for clearing and cutting shrubs and low branches, perhaps those could be put to good use!

I plan on bringing gloves, plastic poop bags, a pooper rake/shovel, some containers of water for the dogs, my dog, my husband, hat and sunglasses! Maybe sunscreen?? *crosses fingers*

Cheers,
Susan
(owned by Bailey the fastest dog in the park)

Since I've never been to this event, what exactly happens?
Do we need to bring supplies?
I'm bringing my camera.
Can we bring our dogs at the same time?
Kathy

I haven 't been to the park in a few weeks. Is the swimming hole dried up in the North East portion? I have Mea, the golden retriever who loves to swim in water or mud?

Really, no one has volunteered to be a quadrant leader yet? The role of a quadrant leader could not be simpler. All that you have to do is guide the other volunteers on what areas and tasks to direct their efforts on. It is a great way to meet other users and help out the dog park at the same time. There must be a few individuals who are willing to volunteer for this task. Please contact one of the guardians if you are interested or would like more information.

Tom

With only a few weeks until the annual Earth Day cleanup at the Otter Lake Dog Park, we are in the final stages of planning for the event. Something new we are going to try this year is dividing the park into quadrants, and having leaders stationed in each area to guide and direct the efforts in their respective quadrant.

We are seeking volunteers to act as quadrant leaders during cleanup day. The role of a quadrant leader is pretty simple, you will be given a short task list and as people are assigned to areas of the park, you will assign them a task to complete.

We will have a short meeting with all the leaders the morning of cleanup to make sure that everyone knows what the tasks and priorities of the day are. Please let one of the guardians know if you are willing and able to help out directing the efforts of the day.

Thank you,

Otter Lake Dog Park Guardian Team
Lisa Peterson
Celeste Knipping
Tom Richter

tesser,

Thank you for supplying bags to the park in the past and continuing to do so! We will remember to let you know when we need bags and also look into options for bulk storage of clean bags. If everyone keeps some bags in their car and puts some in the mailboxes when they see the mailboxes starting to get empty that would be very helpful.

I have a large supply of newspaper bags that I collect from the Ramsey County Libraries. I work not too far from this dog park. PLEASE, PLEASE email when the supplies are low and I'll head over as soon as I can. I don't visit regularly, but you'll see me from time to time with Maddie (half Newf-half Lab) and Charlie (3/4 Lab, 1/4 Springer).

If any regular park goer wants some of the stash of bags I have, I can arrange a delivery. One ammenity at the park could be a locking large box (like at ballparks that hold bases) that I could fill up from time to time and the park stewards could take from. I swear I have 1000s of bags stored now.

in the meantime - email: tesser63@comcast.net

Great idea,

Besides benches, there are always projects in the park for scouts (or anyone else who would like to volunteer to help the park) of all ages to complete. We are also looking into some king of weatherproof bulletin board and possible some more mailboxes for clean poop bags. Poop pickup is always an ongoing project, summertime projects include woodchip spreading, buckthorn removal.

Ongoing volunteer opportunities for anyone interested include;
1. Poop / general trash pickup in the park
2. Bring plastic bags from home and stock the mailboxes with clean poop bags
3. Clearing snow away from entrance gates to prevent them from becoming iced in and binding
4. "Park historian" photograph and/or scrapbook dog park activities

If anyone is interested in volunteering or taking on any special projects, or have and idea for an improvement at the park, please contact me or post them here.

Tom

I have sent along the posting regarding getting an Eagle Scout to build some benches in the park. My older son's Scout troop is always looking for ideas for Scouts, and not just Eagle Scouts, so hopefully the benches will get made! Perhaps others could pass on this idea to their troops as well! :) Jennifer

Last year we were told that a group of Eagle Scouts were to build a couple of benches along the trails to take a rest on. The county brought gravel in to set the posts in, but the project never came to fruition. This sort of project would make a good addtion to the park and may be a good project for an Eagle Scout.

Kathy,

Thank you for offering to take pictures. The park is really nice in the summer time. Most of the trails are woodchipped. The water will go away once the frost comes out of the ground. It is ussually a few weeks of wet and muddy weather in the spring time as things are melting and the frost is comming out of the ground. It is hard to see now but there is some raised paths through the water areas, it is only in the springtime that there is standing water.

Tom

I take lots of pictures. I'll be glad to take photos of the event, plus help out in the clean up.
I've never been to the park in the summer. How long does it take for the water to drain off? My dog jumped right into the water yesterday. She loved it. She got a bath when we got home. Mea smells good now!
Could we get a Eagle Scout to make a wooden path along the "wetter" areas of the park? I have a connection. Is that something we'd be interested in? Of course it would have to be a bridge right now!
Yesterday, Mea jumped over the south fence. I want to thank the people who helped getting her back. I didn't think she could get over that one. Egads!!!
Love this park, the people & and the dogs!
Kathy

In addition to volunteers for general cleanup tasks at the park, we need some volunteers for â€Å"special† jobs during cleanup day and beyond. We are in need of someone to take photographs to document the activities during the park cleanup day. We are also looking for someone create and maintain a scrapbook for the dog park. We have a ton of pictures from the park and are collecting more all the time. It would be wonderful to have these compiled into some sort of scrapbook that could be used to document what a great place the Otter Lake Dog Park is. Please contact one of the dog park guardians (Lisa, Celeste, and Tom) if you would be interested in helping with one of these task.

The Earth Day flyer is now posted above. Please join us to help improve the dog park and socialize with other park users. We are planning some exciting things for this years clean up so be sure to attend. If you have any qustions or suggestions for cleanup day, please post them here in this forum topic.