CANCELED: 'End of Summer Swim' with Pups

Local dog owners looking to take a dip alongside their pooch will have to find another opportunity.

Wanted: Outspoken Pooch Park Supporters

The Bark for a Park committee will meet tonight at 7 p.m. at City Hall, with ears perked for any suggestions residents and park supporters.

Oak Forest residents dreaming up the city's dog park might have just fetched themselves a neat $25,000 prize—but the dog-centric planning has just begun.  The Bark for a Park committee will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall, and they're hoping to round up fellow supporters for more brainstorming for the seven acres near 160th and Oak Park Avenue.  The land is known as Bremen Grove, property of the Cook County Forest Preserve District. The committee has until August 2015 to spend the money Oak Forest won by taking second place in the Bark for your Park contest, organized by pet product producer PetSafe. Ald. Laura Clemons, chair of the city's Bark for a Park committee, said they don't have any definitive plans, and will continue …

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UPDATE: 'End of Summer Swim with Pups' Canceled

The Bark for a Park crew invites local dog owners to slip into Gingerwood Pool alongside their pooch, for a quick dip and a fundraiser for an Oak Forest dog park.

Updated, Sept. 3 The Swim with Pups event has been canceled.  ---------------------------------------------------------- No one knows the doggie paddle better than man's best friend—so why not take a dip and learn from your dog? Oak Forest's Bark for a Park committee invites dog owners to dive in with their dog, for a swim and fundraising fun at Gingerwood Pool, 167th and Laramie.  The group's "End of Summer Swim" is planned for Sept. 4, from 6 to 8 p.m. For a $10 donation to the dog park effort, the group will provide pooltime, pizza and dog treats. Swimmers are encouraged to bring a dish or a sweet treat (and of course, a swimsuit and a towel). Dog owners are also invited to bring along a dog item for a door prize basket raffle. …

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Bark for a Park Crew Fetches $25K Prize: Newsmakers

These folks won't stop 'til their pups have a place to play. $25K richer, dog park committee eyes more fundraising efforts.

With Oak Forest's recent 2nd place finish in a national dog park contest, committee organizers aren't in much rush to spend the $25,000 won and, instead, are looking ahead to more fundraisers. The committee has until August 2015 to spend the money Oak Forest won by taking 2nd place in the Bark for your Park contest, organized by pet product producer PetSafe. Laura Clemons, chair of the city's Bark for a Park committee, said they don't have any definitive plans for the money and do plan to continue ongoing fundraising efforts.   For more on the group's win and their future plans, read coverage from earlier in the week. 

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Oak Forest Cruises Within 4,000 Votes of 2nd Place in Dog Park Contest

The Bark for your Park contest to win $100,000 continues until Aug. 1. The last week of voting will "go dark."

Just nine days ago, Oak Forest trailed by 15,000 votes behind second place Lynchburg, VA. Both cities are among the 15 finalists for the Bark for your Park contest, the winner of which receives $100,000 for a dog park. Now, with several weeks of voting left, Oak Forest has pulled to within 4,000 votes and has largely left behind south suburban neighbor Orland Park, who sits in fourth place. A second-place finish for Oak Forest would bring a $25,000 prize and reward the enormous effort community members have put forth in recent weeks. Voting continues through Aug. 1 and will "go dark" for the last week. Here's how you can vote for Oak Forest: Join the conversation. Like Oak Forest Patch on Facebook and sign up for the breaking news alerts!

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Nick Swedberg

8:50 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012

No problem, Jason!   more ›

Oak Forest Closes in on 2nd Place in Dog Park Contest

Watch O Fo's community video and vote twice a day on PetSafe.net's site and Facebook page.

Oak Forest in Finals for $100K Dog Park Contest

The voting isn't over yet. It's crunch time so keep coming back to the PetSafe website and Facebook page. You can vote twice a day.

Oak Forest Trots Into Finals for $100K Dog Park Contest

The voting isn't over yet. It's crunch time so keep coming back to the PetSafe website and Facebook page. You can vote twice a day.

Oak Forest has made it into the top 15 finalists for a $100,000 dog park. The results for the "Bark For Your Park" contest were posted Friday morning. Alderwoman Laura Clemons, who is spearheading the city's effort to build a dog park, said Oak Forest is in 8th place. As of about 9 a.m. Friday, Oak Forest had 3,668 votes. In the next two weeks, Oak Forest will need to submit a community video as part of the second round in the contest. Open casting calls for the video will soon be announced.  The city is now facing off against south suburban neighbor Orland Park and a baker's dozen of other communities across the country.  Petsafe, maker of pet products, is sponsoring the national contest. The grand prize winner receives $100,000 and two …

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Newsmakers

Alderwoman's Work is for the Dogs

Laura Clemons and the Bark for a Park committee are on a mission for Oak Forest.

Laura Clemons, alderwoman for Oak Forest's First Ward, is heading a group of volunteers who want to make a place where dogs can roam. Since 2011, the Bark for a Park committee has worked to bring a dog park to the city. Raising money for the effort, so far, has come from several fundraisers put together by the citizen group. Now, Bark for a Park is sniffing for the grand prize in a national contest. PetSafe's contest offers a first prize of $100,000 and two runners-up prizes of $25,000. For a committee that is just shy of its $10,000, finishing in the top three will more than push them over the top. "When we started this project in September of last year, our goal was to raise funds however we could," Clemons said. Read more about Clemons …

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Dog Park Crew Reaches ‘Tentative Agreement’ with Forest Preserve

Bark For A Park committee head says a national contest could help fill the coffers and is encouraging residents to lend their support.

A proposed dog park might be closer to a reality than ever before. The Bark For A Park committee and Forest Preserve District of Cook County have a “tentative agreement" for use of seven acres at 159th Street and Oak Park Avenue, said First Ward Alderwoman Laura Clemons. She declined to elaborate on that agreement on a portion of land at Bremen Grove Forest Preserve. The site was one of two locations whittled down from a list that include the possibility of a portion of the Oak Forest Health Center campus. Sign up for Oak Forest Patch daily newsletter and keep tabs on what's going on! Bark For a Park is close to meeting its goal of raising $10,000, Clemons said. After holding three fundraisers, the committee has collected about $8,000 and …

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