KDOG Woofing for Work Party Help

The Kirkland Off-Leash Dog Group -- KDOG -- has scheduled five work parties for September and October in its long and ambitious plan to open Kirkland’s first dog park this fall.

But it is barking eagerly and somewhat desperately for volunteers with construction experience to help fence its 1.24-acre site in the Totem Lake area and help build an entrance.

“When it’s completed, this park will be a great amenity for all Kirkland families with dogs,” Jean Guth, KDOG president, said in a press release. “If we can get help putting up the fencing around the park perimeter and small dog area, and get the park entry way completed, we can then lay down the groundcover layer and we are pretty much done with Phase One.  We have wonderfully talented and dedicated volunteers however, many are not skilled specifically in construction.”

The Kirkland City Council last November approved the use of city owned property at 113th Ave NE and NE 120th St. for an off-leash park, but stipulated that no city funds could be used. So KDOG, which had been fighting for years for a park, has been raising the money on its own and will build the park largely with donated materials and volunteer labor. For several Patch stories about the effort, click here.

There is concern that if Phase One work is not finished in October, typical November rains will set in and delay the opening until the spring of next year, Guth said.

The work parties at the park site, all on Saturdays, are:

• Sept. 17, 9-noon
• Sept. 24, 1-4 p.m. 
• Oct. 8, 9-noon
• Oct. 15, 1-4 p.m.
• Oct. 22, 1-4 p.m.

At initial work parties, most volunteers will be clearing blackberries and roots. Later work parties will also be using wheelbarrows and shovels for laying down cedar “hog fuel” ground cover. Work parties will continue under most weather conditions, including rain, in the hope of a fall opening of the park.

Additional work parties will be scheduled as needs become clear. The site is bounded by a public path. All visitors are asked to use street parking and walk via the path to view the site.

To receive regular updates, join KDOG’s group on www.meetup.com (search under “Kirkland Dog”.)  For more general information about KDOG and to donate to the project, go to www.kdog.org.