Wheeler Dog Park construction will start this summer
The entrance to the Wheeler Park nature trail will soon be accompanied by a dog park.
After COVID-19 delays and logistical obstacles, the Wheeler Dog Park is set for construction starting in July.
“From a recreation perspective, we are all about building community,” Holly Rees, director of South Burlington’s recreation and parks committee, said. “So often we think about people and not extensions of the family, such as dogs.”
Plans for the park — which will be located on the city’s Wheeler Nature Park property — have been in the works since 2019, when the city council earmarked $35,000 for it in that year’s capital improvement plan.
The pandemic froze planning for about two years, but Betty Milizia, chair of the city’s common areas for dogs committee, sees this in a positive light.
“The delay has given us more time to really think about how this can be done in a thoughtful way,” Milizia said. “It is going to look like it belongs on this property, designed around the topography. It won’t stand out in the pasture.”
The park is set to be designed around the behaviors of dogs, rather than their size or breed. Young or old, anxious or excited, dogs can find playmates and get the most out of the park, planners hope.
“One thing that has been integral is not only the form and function of the dog park, but the finesse of how it comes to be,” Rees said. “It is more than just putting fencing in.”
“The committee has done extensive research on dog behaviors,” she added. “This park will have rounded edges, so dogs don’t get stuck in corners, intentional entryway access and directional information for safer dog engagement.”
Rees and Milizia both stressed that the park should focus on the health and wellness of the individual, as well as the community.
“Even just from Farrell, you can clearly see there is bonding, community building and friendships being made just from that little community,” Rees said, referring to the city’s Farrell Park. “The (Development and Review Board) has a menu of offerings, and dog parks are ones to consider when building neighborhoods and dense housing.”
Rees and Milizia said they want to educate dog owners on good behavior so that the park can be enjoyed by both dog owners and the public.
“The reality is, there are very few municipalities in this country that can afford full time enforcers,” Milizia said. “They have to depend on the public. Enforcement is self-governance, and public education changes behaviors.”
Committee members are considering several ideas around public education, including classes before issuing dog licenses, a lecture series featuring veterinarians and behavioral experts and an effort to create a community culture where folks educate one another.
Rees described a handful of planned events, including a Barktober Fest in the fall, a canine keg pull and dog costume contests.
“If we do those fun things, it is important for us not only to address what a dog’s family wants, but to make things fun for everyone and engage the broader community,” Milizia said.
Milizia and Rees also aim to bring to the park lighthearted reminders about cleaning up dog waste, keeping dogs on leashes where required and other dog care guidance. The park’s bike path patrol worker could have coupons to give out as incentives for responsible dog ownership alongside signs on the trail encouraging good behavior.
How will the new park fit in with the city’s other outdoor offerings? Rees and Milizia believe the new park will decrease the number of unleashed dogs on the city’s nature trails, while also adding a space for those pets to run free. The planned park will also boast an event space and community gardens.
“There is a place for everybody,” Rees said.
Despite the long wait for the new park — construction has been delayed for years — Milizia and Rees look forward to moving from frustration to fruition.
The first fencing arrives July 11, followed by a couple weeks of development.
“We are here,” Rees said. “This is a stepping stone to a greater work plan.”
