Dog Park

By Ali Bronsdon/Leader Staff

Jonathan Crosby likes a challenge. Last year, the Polson junior started with the planning stages of his Eagle Scout project the Travis Dolphin Dog Park, a 2.5-acre plot of land along the Flathead River.

Crosby, with the help of Polson's Park Superintendent Karen Sargeant, turned an overgrown, unkempt shoreline into the perfect spot for dogs of all shapes and sizes to meet, great and roam at will. The park is fenced and complete with a walking path and plans for future Eagle Scout projects like a dock for water-loving pups, a trail system, three memorial benches and a fenced off small dog area.

I am a big dog lover, said Crosby. I read in the Missoulian that Missoula had a dog park and I was really interested in it.

On Friday, the park was officially opened to the public with a ribbon-cutting ceremony performed by honored guest, Governor Brian Schweitzer and his dog, Jag.

Crosby said he met the governor when he was invited to visit Helena with a number of other Montana Eagle Scouts. Since Governor Schweitzer was scheduled to attend the Ronan commencement Friday night, he agreed to stop by the park and cut the ribbon.

I wasn't actually invited, Governor Schweitzer said. Jag was invited to cut the ribbon and I am staffing him today.

Sargeant counted around 25 people and about 15 dogs who showed up for the grand opening.

Friday was really the first time that we had a lot of dogs there all at the same time. she said. I was a little nervous because I thought, this will be the true test of the dog park. It all worked out and they all played nice with each other.

Travis Dolphin was a city employee who worked for the water department before he passed away from a brain tumor about six or seven years back, Sargeant said. The water and sewer department had dedicated that land to Travis for a park, but they weren't sure what they were going to do with it. Too steep for a conventional park, it just sat until Crosby came along.

I told him, understand, you are going to start this from scratch, Sargeant said. He has a real passion for dogs and he just picked it up and he ran with it. He started the ball rolling.

Crosby said it has been a long process and a lot of work.

It had to be approved by the park's board and by the city council, he said. Then I had to raise money and do the clean up. I sent out letters to different organizations telling them about the dog park and they kind of got the word around. I went to rotary and the VFW and a bunch of other organizations.

I am very proud of how it turned out.