Bountiful Has a Dog Park

10/09/2020

Folks-
You might have seen the signs around town urging a "Vote Yes for Parks & Trails". I invite you to check out and join the effort to get more Parks & Trails in Bountiful.

Many of you know the establishment of the Bark Park was a 6 year effort, in part because it involved repurposing an existing City park with a new use which was not easy and not totally appreciated by all the nearby neighbors. With finite space, park uses compete against each other.

This effort would make a new park at Washington Elementary with uses TBD by the residents of Bountiful if the bond is approved. It would also set aside $2 million to improve and expand trails.

If you spend time at the Bark Park, it means you spend time in the Washington Elementary neighborhood and hopefully you then know what it would mean to these neighbors to have a large, multi-use park at the school site as the existing park is now the Bark Park. I'm guessing most of you also hike or bike with your dogs and perhaps visit other parks (on leash) because being outside and with your fur buddies is always the best place to be.

I've linked the Vote Yes FB page for more information and hope you will check it out.

The City of Bountiful has the opportunity to purchase the former-Washington Elementary to repurpose a

05/29/2020

Water fountain update:

Under the current COVID19 restrictions from the county, city parks are not supposed to turn on public water fountains for sanitary reasons. Unfortunately, at the dog park the human part and the dog part of the fountains are connected so we can’t just turn on the dog bowl part. This means that for the foreseeable future you will need to bring your own water to the park for yourself and your dog. It’s going to heat up so please plan appropriately.

05/12/2020

Heads up, be aware of your dog as the new fence goes up.

03/25/2020

The Brickyard Bark Park will reopen on Wednesday, March 25. However due to health concerns regarding COVID-19 and the small size of the park, there are restrictions to be aware of before visiting:
· No more than 10 people may visit the park at a time, to comply with Davis County Health Department regulations for group gatherings. If this is violated, we will need to close the park.
· Visitors are strongly encouraged to maintain social distancing.

03/22/2020

Update!

Hoomans & Doggos- The Brickyard Bark Park is scheduled to re-open Wednesday, March 25th now that the new bark is in place.

A few reminders:

1. A temporary fence will still be up to help the grass on the southern end recover through the spring.

2. Social distancing is hugely important due to COVID-19 especially since the park will be a bit smaller with the temporary fence. Think about your dogs, who will be there to care for them if you fall ill so please take this seriously as with visits to all city parks. Sunshine is good for the soul, but spacing will get us through this thing.

3. If the park is busy, perhaps pick another time to go in off-peak hours for social distancing and park wear & tear.

4. Please remember to pick up after your dogs and be good park stewards regarding p**p.

5. If the weather is wet and conditions tend toward mud, maybe it is a day for walkies rather than the park to help preserve the ground. It is spring after all and we can expect a mix of rain and possibly snow from day to day in Utah. Who hasn't experienced a snowy Easter in Bountiful.

6. Just like with people, if your dog is sick the park is not a place for your dog to go. Social distancing is also important when dogs have kennel cough or other illnesses too. Talk to your Vet about your options on doggie vaccines.

7. Most importantly, be kind. Sadly, we are all reminded that life is fragile and kindness goes a long way. Be like our dogs ever joyful with the simple things and ever forgiving of the human condition.

8. See an issue in need of fixing? Please alert the Bountiful City Park's Dept. 801-298-6178.

9. WOOF, Bark Yip! to the doggos you know what to do. Sniff and run. Wrestle and fetch. Cheer us hoomans up with your antics because we need you now more than ever.

10.It felt like we should end on an even ten reminders, so 10 is for everything, everything, EVERYTHING! (If you know, you know...)

03/04/2020

Further update on the Bark Park timing

Thank you for your patience as we work to make the park a safe, comfortable and less-muddy place for your pets to play. Our Parks team needs just a couple more weeks than expected to get all of the new bark mixture in place (they anticipate needing about 180 dump truck loads!). We hope to reopen the dog park the week of March 23rd, just a few days after the first day of spring. Stay tuned if you're interested in volunteering to help spread out the new bark soon.

02/21/2020

Brickyard Bark Park Update! Our Parks department has been working hard on repairs and researching ground cover options to reopen the park as soon as possible.
· A temporary fence will be installed to allow about 1/3 of the park to remain closed, to help the grass and greenery along the fence-line recover and to provide additional privacy for the park’s neighbors.
· A bark mixture will be used as ground cover on the remainder of the park to provide a safe and comfortable material for dogs while allowing drainage.
· The park is expected to reopen the second week of March! Volunteers may be needed to help spread out the new bark mixture. If you’re interested in helping, stay tuned ​for details!

01/30/2020

We are working hard to reopen the Brickyard Bark Park and find a better ground surface option that will help keep the park open year-round in our climate. We hope to have the problem addressed and work completed with in the next 30-45 days. In the meantime, before you try heading to the park you can check the Bountiful City website on our homepage under “Announcements” to see if the park is open or closed. Thank you for your patience as we work to find the best solution for our community and your dogs.

01/25/2020

Hey Hoomans and Doggos-

As you are all likely aware, the Bountiful Brickyard Bark is closed right now. The weather has made the ground soft and squishy and the park was becoming a muddy mess. Having a dog park and managing a dog park is a new thing for Bountiful. There is a learning curve to figuring out how to manage the resource.

Many of us that have frequented other dog parks know that having a dog park with mature shade trees and grass made this park special. Perhaps with active management and closures to rest the turf this park can continue to have grass, but perhaps given the nature of the park use and the reality of being the only dog park grass is an unrealistic expectation. That is TBD. Bountiful is in the process of figuring that out and asks for patience as we learn how to be a city with a dog park and how best to communicate info to the park user community so you'll know where to check for the current park status.

Please keep in mind this is a special resources and it took quite a bit of effort to create the park. As park users, we need to be mindful of how we use the park too. If the weather means the park is wet and squishy, perhaps it is a better day for a dog walk on hard surfaces. Perhaps connect with dog friends to do a group walk around Main Street and work on canine good citizen walking skills. I know it is a bummer to have the park closed right now, but it is with the goal of preserving it for long term use.

Tail wags and nose bumps to you all until we romp at the park again.

01/24/2020

The Bark Park has experienced an 80% turf loss due the combination of winter weather conditions and high use. The park will be closed until we are able to determine the best solution for maintaining the ground cover there so everyone has a good experience while visiting the park. Thank you for your patience while we research a solution. Please contact Bountiful City Parks Department with any questions, 801.298.6178. Sorry for the inconvenience.

01/02/2020

Sort of like the Moai on Easter Island, mysterious people from a time now passed into history (2019) appear to have left strange human like replicas on our dog walking route. The says they smelled like snow, dead leaves, and candy cane kid fingers.