BWNA’s Friends of Wilshire Park Committee (FoWP) has been busy raising awareness and money through social media, Q&A sessions, QR codes, and donuts!—all in the continuing effort to build community and raise funds to bring a water source to the off-leash dog area of Wilshire Park. Accomplishments: a successful raffle at Fremont Fest raising over $600, thanks in great part to the generous support of Green Dog Pet Supply and Wild Pet Provisions; a QR code (see code end of this article) to make donating even easier (and if unsure how to use a QR code, just ask any teenager!); an update to the website (friendsofwilshirepark.org); an updated Instagram page (@friendsofwilshirepark); a monthly newsletter for subscribers for keeping informed about what’s happening in the park and to get involved (and new subscribers will be entered in a drawing for a dozen donuts from CocoDonuts!); and a Q&A session in the dog park with Mike Grosso from Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) to learn more about the dog park water fountain project and its cost (almost $22,000!)
Residents who braved the first MAJOR rain of the season on Saturday, September 18 to attend the Q&A session with Mike Grosso of PP&R and FoWP Committee Chair Gary Hancock heard about our fundraising history (e.g., success in getting NatureSpace created, upgrading of the toddler play area, increasing native species plantings around the park) and about the off-leash dog area water fountain project, which has generated over $4,000 in donations. Grosso explained that this project is so expensive because bringing water to the dog park requires two major fees: 1) Water Bureau: $11,692; and 2) Parks Bureau: $10,000. The water source would be provided by the Portland Water Bureau and include charges for a ⅜-inch water meter service, service development, meter service installation, service activation, and backflow review and inspection (totaling an estimated $11,692). PP&R fees include design plan development and review, plus a backflow device, area drain, plumbing line, plumbing labor, materials and equipment, a frost-free line, and a contingency fund totaling an estimated $10,000. (Total estimated cost: $21,692).
Some neighbors and dog park regulars expressed concerns about the type of fountain, hygienic safety, and the possibility of the water source being used by houseless people for themselves, not dogs. Mike Grosso responded that to date PP&R has not found a correlation between water sources and increased houseless visitation. The water source won’t be tied into the existing irrigation points in the park, which means water will be available for the dogs all year long. Regarding hygiene, PP&R plans to have a drain so that the water doesn’t pool and create a bacteria source. The specific location will be determined by the design plan development and a review by the PP&R and the Water Bureau. The current thought is to place the fountain in the vicinity of the picnic table.
The FoWP Committee’s message to the community is: “Let’s do this!!!” To help get the dog water project to the finish line, volunteers and donors are needed. If you’re interested in lending a hand, contact Gary Hancock (outside503@aol.com) or send an e-mail to the committee (friendsofwilshirepark@gmail.com). Monthly FoWP meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month via Zoom beginning at 7:00 p.m. (E-mail Gary for the Zoom link.)
Finally, scan the QR code below to donate via the GoFundMe site. (If your company has a matching gift program, you can double your tax-deductible donation!)