Community members make dog park’s success their mission

The West Loop 569 Bark Park is a labor of love.   

Created in 2014, the dog park, just north of Skinner Park, is operated entirely by a volunteer board consisting of six community members, each with their own dog-themed title: Julie Darling, "Fluent in Dog Languages;" SuSan Nelson, "Lifelong Cynophilist;" Christine Lutz, "Fairy Pup Mother;" Jason Thomas, "The Fixer;" Lauren Redig, "Expert Hound Hugger;"and Blake Clifton, "Poop Bag Master." The current board took over in February. 

"We're 100 percent community-maintained and volunteered," Darling said. "So, we don't get paid. We raise all of our funds through [events] as well as corporate donations ... We're all part of it. We do everything."

Each of the board members has a personal connection to the park, a story that inspired them to pay it forward. 

"I can say from Jason's and my perspective, we have two pretty large pitbulls," Lutz said. "There's not a chance in the world that we would be able to have those dogs in this city if they didn't have a place to run and play. It would be miserable. So, we basically use the park every single day. And that's the reason we thought we needed to give back, and that's the reason we're so involved."

The dog park was previously known as Skinner Bark Park but adopted its current name with the change in leadership. To help build brand recognition and raise funds for the park, the board partnered with Jilzarah, a small business in Chicago specializing in jewelry, to develop a "walk the dog" wrist keychain, with 50% of each purchase supporting the park. 

"This is the first one that we've done, and I consider it a pilot program to see if it works for us," Nelson said. "We just started it July 1, and we'll assess it over the next few months. If it's something that's viable, then we would look to other vendors for the same sort of partnership."

Donors interested in contributing directly to the park can choose between a lump sum payment or a small monthly donation called a "tail wag," which comes with certain perks. Monthly donors receive a photograph or a hat at the "Foto with Fido" event in July. Donations are accepted online and through a QR code that can be scanned at the park. 

The board works with a limited budget of about $8,000 annually, meaning every dollar counts.

"We've got some work to do to make sure we're not depleting those funds and making sure we're keeping the park nice," Lutz said. 

Currently, the board's biggest initiative is ensuring the park is clean and sanitary for human and canine visitors, which includes power washing surfaces a minimum of once a month, and more during high-traffic times, such as the summer, Lutz said.

Other planned expenses include adding gravel to the gravel pits, which have not been updated since the park began operating six years ago. Lutz estimates this will cost $3,000 to $4,000. 

The board also anticipates spending money on future capital improvement projects such as replacing the astroturf. Some community members have expressed interest in a segregated area of the park for smaller dogs, another potential expense, Lutz said.

"We're looking to the community that uses and loves this park to fund it," she said.

Park visitors must wear a face mask and practice social distancing. Pet owners are asked to pick up after their dogs. Free waste bags are provided on-site.