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Bark For Your Park

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Bremen Grove Dog Park Opens to Pooches, Residents

The Bremen Grove Off-Lease Dog Park opened Nov. 17 to Cook County and non-Cook County residents. The park is open from dawn til dusk daily, and features separate areas for large and small dogs.

Those excited barks and yips you hear from your furry pal who wants to go out and run around uninhibited by a leash? Consider them a thing of the past, thanks to the opening of the Bremen Grove Dog Park, located near 159th Street on Oak Park Avenue, on Nov. 17. “It's a soft opening,” said Alderman Laura Clemons, who is also chairperson for the Bark For A Park Comittee. “They're planning on having a larger, grand opening in the spring.” The dog park, which features two separate areas for large and small dogs, sits on seven acres of land in Bremen Grove, which is controlled by the Cook County Forest Preserve District. The off-leash dog park is one of two such areas operated within the county, with the other located in Des Plaines. Previously…

sdubs

4:05 pm on Sunday, March 10, 2013

As cook county residents we pay out of district fees for will county dog park priveledges ($50) for TWICE the running room in just one of their THREE dog park. Cook county needs a clue.   more ›

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Dog Park Closer to Opening

After months of work, the new dog park near 160th and Oak Park Avenue is nearly complete.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

All Dogs Go to Oak Forest: Park Set to Open Soon

The Bark For Your Park Committee held an open meeting Aug. 27, at Oak Forest's City Hall to discuss the soon-to-open dog park and take suggestions from residents on what exactly the park should offer.

It's nearly time to bust out the leashes and head to the new dog park in Oak Forest, near 160th and Oak Park Avenue. But, there's still a few weeks of planning and construction that must be completed before the park opens, in late September or October. While work—including pouring a concrete patio area and installing fencing—is still ongoing, Alderman Laura Clemons led a Bark for Your Park committee meeting on Aug. 27, to outline the progress on the park. “We've been surveying, the fence is just about up, they've split it, they've framed out the concrete patio and they've laid the cement for the posts for the gated in-and-out,” Clemons said. More than 30 people attended the meeting, which also featured a fluid flow of suggestions from …

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Confused

11:25 am on Thursday, September 27, 2012

The point is that he is a member of the community and is trying to express his concerns before the decision is made so he can try to be a part of that decision. I'm not saying I always agree with him but I appreciate that he is getting involved and raising questions. Allowing something to come to fruition without knowing the facts is completely irresponsible.   more ›

Thursday, August 9, 2012

$25K Richer, Dog Park Committee Eyes More Fundraising Efforts

Oak Forest's dog park committee chair said it's possible the park could open by mid-Fall.

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. "It’s hard to tell right now what we’ll spend our money on because we don’t know," Clemons said. The contest winners were announced Friday. The dog park committee is hoping to capitalize on the momentum from the 2nd-…

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Sue1

5:22 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2012

I'm confused now. Right now it is public land, being FPD property, but if it becomes the dog park, you have to be a member to use it? Who is going to police that?   more ›

Monday, August 6, 2012

Dog Park Supporters Win $25K Treat

Oak Forest came in 2nd place in PetSafe's Bark for your Park contest. The results were announced Friday.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Oak Forest Grabs 2nd Place, $25K in Dog Park Contest Finals

The Bark for your Park contest "brought the community together," said Alderwoman Laura Clemons.

Dog owners in Oak Forest have a reason to celebrate. The totals are in and the City of Oak Forest won 2nd place—and a $25,000 prize—in the PetSafe Bark for your Park contest. "We as a city and a dedicated volunteer group are thrilled to have won $25,000 in this contest,” said Laura Clemons, an Oak Forest alderwoman and head of the city’s dog park committee. “We’ve worked very, very hard and have had a lot of fun. The contest results were posted to PetSafe's website Friday night. For three months, communities across the country battled for the grand prize of $100,000. Texarkana, AR, won the grand prize. A second runners-up prize of $25,000 went to Derby, VT. Contestants were whittled down from hundreds nationwide to 15 finalists, which …

Confused

8:44 am on Saturday, August 11, 2012

Which is why I suggested a "suggested donation." It is not required but it would help to maintain the property. I refuse to over vaccinate my dogs so the only shot they've had recently is the required rabies shot. I'm sure there are others like me so I'm hoping they will accept a titer too. Of my four dogs I only have one that I would even consider re-vaccinating to get into the park because I …   more ›

Thursday, August 2, 2012

UPDATE: Dog Park Party Rescheduled for Friday Night

The results of the PetSafe Bark for your Park Contest are expected to be announced Friday.

Updated 10:53 a.m. The celebratory party for the Bark for a Park committee is rescheduled for 7:15 p.m. Friday at the George W. Dunn Golf Course. PetSafe is expected to post the results at around 7:15 p.m. on its website. From the Bark for a Park Committee: BARK FOR YOUR PARK - OAK FOREST PARTY IS THIS FRIDAY 8/3 at 7:15 PM George W. Dunn Golf Course, Oak Forest, IL Unfortunately, we have to change this to The Mayor's Golf Outing, We also will be invading their dinner time, So please fill your bellies prior to coming up there. You may Purchase your Drinks from the Golf Course Bar. Hope to see you on there! — with Laura Odette-Clemons at George W. Dunne National Golf Course Forest Preserve Dist. of Cook County. Vote totals for the 15 …

Robin Randall

7:35 pm on Friday, August 3, 2012

Congratulations Oak Forest!!!! 2nd place and $25,000 to build the dog park!!! Way to go everyone!   more ›

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Last Day of Voting in $100K Dog Park Contest

Help Oak Forest win money to pay for its new dog park.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

OF Still Pushing for Dog Park Money

Voting tallies are hidden in the Bark for your Park contest but you can still vote through Aug. 1.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Dog Park Contest Voting Goes Dark for Remaining Week

You can still vote in the Bark for your Park contest but you can't see the tallies until after voting closes Aug. 1.

Vote tallies for the top 15 finalists in the "Bark for your Park" contest will be hidden starting today and through the end of the competition on Aug. 1. Oak Forest, which moved into 2nd place overall earlier this month in the PetSafe-sponsored contest, had a little more than 95,000 votes late Tuesday night. Texarkana, a city in Arkansas with a population of about 30,000, holds onto 1st place with more than 132,000 votes. Oak Forest has secured a 7-acre piece of Cook County-owned land near 160th and Oak Park Avenue for the dog park. Volunteers on Oak Forest's Bark for a Park committee tasked with securing and funding the dog park have worked for months to find anyone and everyone willing to vote for the city. This final push includes a …

Sarah Weller-Ericksen

7:34 am on Thursday, July 26, 2012

Great job to all the hard working volunteers that have worked to get us to #2 since day one. As a town we have pulled together for our 4 legged friends. This contest has become so much more than winnering a dog park. It has pulled our town together & brought some much needed unity to Oak Forest again in a wider spectrum. The exciting news is it will continue even after the contest ends when our 4…   more ›

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