As more people visit Joe Station and have positive experiences, they tell their friends and, as a result, we are having more people show up on weekends who have not been to an off leash facility previously. Many of these folks have no knowledge of park rules and etiquette.
Therefore we expect a large influx of “newcomers” during the Labor Day weekend. If you have an opportunity to spend a few hours this weekend welcoming folks and politely informing them of our rules, it would be helpful.
Please tell others who regularly use the park.
Kelly Carter conducted 2 volunteer training meetings this this past week at Joe Station Bark Park to about 30 volunteers that will be spending time at Joe Station and other Tulsa dog parks in the near future. Kelly discussed how to notice calming signals in dogs. Volunteers that understand calming signals will be able to better understand when dogs in the dog parks are stressed or ready to play. Kelly also spoke about the importance of park volunteers or ‘Ambassadors’ to inform park patrons politely about the many rules of the parks especially the reason why there are age requirements, the need for dog owners to clean up after their dogs and to make park visitors aware that dogs must be spayed or neutered if they are to use the park.
“We are trying to educate people on off leash dog park etiquette” said Kelly who also told potential volunteers that if something is bothering a volunteer in the park, it is probably bothering someone else to and that problem should be addressed to avoid any further issues at the parks. The need for both volunteers as well as all park patrons to work together and advise new visitors of park rules is very important so that we may help to create a ‘park culture’, one where both park visitors and their can dogs can enjoy the park as safely as possible.
Volunteers will be known as ‘Bark Park Ambassadors’ and will be at the parks with their own dogs.
If you’d like to VOLUNTEER at the dog parks, please SUBMIT YOUR INFORMATION HERE.
I am pleased to announce that over the next several weeks I will be working on an online store where you’ll be able to purchase T-Shirts and other park related items. The store will be similar to those used at Amazon.com and similar online merchants and will also let donors keep track of their donations online.
ALL MONIES COLLECTED THROUGH THE ONLINE STORE will be deposited to the Bark Park’s Tulsa Community Foundation fund with the exception of shipping funds which will be dispersed to the person responsible paying shipping rates for shippable items.
I will post again once the store is ready to go!
All the Best!
See you at the parks!
Vinnie and Emma “The Pug”
Phew… Can you believe how popular Tulsa;s first dog park has become? Last night alone we had several hundred visitors and their dogs running all over Joe Station Bark Park! We are in need of several volunteers to help advise park visitors of the PARK RULES, to help advise folks about the age requirements that are in place to protect our young ones, to advise visitors that they are required by law to scoop their pup’s poop - and we need volunteers to help straighten out the park before park closing… In reality - if every visitor to the dog parks would pitch in to help keep THEIR park clean, we probably wouldn’t need a whole lot of volunteers - but until all park visitors are aware of all of the rules, including dog park etiquette, The Task Force has started a volunteer drive. If you are a regular visitor to the park or have some spare time to help us out, please SIGN UP TO BECOME A TULSA BARK PARK VOLUNTEER HERE!
Here is an email that is being shared with the Task Force members concerning the volunteer drive:
Thanks to you Tulsa’s first off leash facility, Joe Station Bark Park, is a huge success—far exceeding our expectations with regard to numbers of people. Over 100 people and dogs visited it some evenings last week and we believe that there were over 500 visitors yesterday. Virtually all visitors have had very enjoyable experiences, plan to return frequently and are recommending it to their friends. We are moving as quickly as possible to create at least one other park at either 13th St. or Hicks Park.
However, as you have noted, many of our visitors do not know how to behave in off leash parks and this has caused a number of problems, some fights and a few relatively minor accidents. Our strategy to manage this overwhelming success and the attendant problems is to create a cadre of BARK PARK AMBASSADORS. Of course all task force members are invited to become members. The role of the Ambassadors will be welcome visitors to the park and to educate them regarding our rules and park etiquette
Kelly Carter has agreed to offer training classes for potential Ambassadors at Joe Station. The first will be held at 7 p.m on Thursday, 8/21, and the second will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, 8/23. Both sessions will be held at the bleachers near left field. Please plan to attend one of these and spread the word to any others who might have an interest.
For Immediate Release
Public Meetings Regarding Future Dog Park Development Scheduled
The Tulsa Dog Park Task Force in cooperation with the City of Tulsa has scheduled two meetings to provide the public with opportunities to give their thoughts about possible new off-leash dog park facilities at 13th & Cincinnati and Hicks Park.
The meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 12, will be held at 7 p.m. at All Souls Unitarian Church, 2952 S. Peoria, for the purpose of allowing public discussion of the proposed development of a dog park site in the downtown area – specifically, in the Inner Dispersal Loop just east of the Boston Avenue Methodist Church.
The second meeting will be held Thursday, Aug. 14, at 7 p.m. at Hicks Community Center, 3443 S. Mingo Rd., for the purpose of allowing public discussion of the proposed development of a dog park site at Hicks Park.
Additional public meetings will be scheduled in the future to allow public input on other potential dog park locations.
Today, August 9, 2008 marked the Grand Opening of Joe Station Bark Park in Tulsa. Joe Station Bark Park is Tulsa’s first off leash dog park. Hounds of all breeds, sizes and colors made there way to the ribbon cutting ceremony officiated by Herb Beattie. “Head dog” from the Tulsa Bark Parks Task Force.
At one point we counted 60 dogs combined between both the large dog and the small dog side of the park. We stopped counting the additional patrons and their dogs so we could sit back and enjoy the show! Pooches pounded the freshly cut grass and sipped from the water pails provided to them by the Task Force and volunteer Park Rangers.
Quick Trip of Oklhaoma donated 250 cookies that were enjoyed by many. Several news stations covered the Grand Opening, just as they did one day earlier for the Joe Station Bark Press conference. New Talk 740 KRMG radio host Denver Foxx and Dr. Connie featured live coverage of the Grand Opening by speaking to Herb Beattie during a live interview. The broadcast was part of KRMG’s Pet Care Clinic that aired between 8 and 9AM. KRMG also announced the opening of the park during their top of the hour news broadcast. By 10AM there was no easy way to count how many more dogs and their owners came to Joe Station Bark Park for the first time.
Over 40 Joe Station Bark Park T-Shirts were sold for 15.00 each. The money from the sales of the shirts will be used to pay for the parks operating costs and future improvements.
On Friday morning, August 8th amidst scores of Tulsa Televison and radio media, Jos Station Bark Park’s Task Force Members along with Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor held a press conference adorned with mutts of all shapes and sizes on a bright, clear day in Tulsa.
Joe Station Bark Park T-Shirts were sold for 15.00 each to help raise more funds for Joe Station Bark Park’s operating costs. The cost is funded by public and private donations. The Tulsa Bark Park Task Force used this day to test the dog park prior to it’s official Grand Opening on Saturday August 8th, 2008.
As stated earlier on other blog posts on this website, the Grand Opening will feature a ribbon cutting ceremony and sales of the Joe Station bark Park T-Shirts to help further defer costs of the park.
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