A teenager’s dream of an off-leash dog park in Paola, which she presented to the Paola City Council in April, was originally supposed to be next to the Paola Community Garden, but city officials decided to move it to Lake Miola and gave 14-year-old Annabelle Shaw the green light to build the park at the site of the old fishing hatchery pond on an area about the size of a football field. All that’s left is funding it. Visions of a dog park featuring fencing, water fountains, play areas, toys and more have prompted Annabelle to head a fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $40,000 for the canine amenity. Annabelle and her fellow volunteers have already raised more than $1,000 through sponsorships, t-shirt sales and collecting donations over the summer at a booth at the Paola Farmer’s Market.
$21,000 is needed to start construction on the perimeter fencing. Community members and businesses can help fund the fence one piece at a time by donating a minimum of $100 to sponsor a section of the fence that will feature a memorial paw print to attach to the fence panel. For more information about the fundraising efforts, visit the Paola Dog Park Facebook page.
