Photos by I Heart Snap It Photography/Jeff Jones
Over the last decade, urban landscapes across the U.S. have seen an uptick in public green space used for allowing dogs to roam freely with other dogs—no leashes required. The growing desire of urban residents to have a place where their dogs can socialize has lead to the rise in popularity of the ‘dog park’.
Thanks to the efforts of the non-profit organization Toledo Unleashed, as well as significant contributions from community members, Glass City Dog Park is finally available for residents, and their pets, to enjoy. “I love this city, I grew up here . . . I taught in Toledo for 36 years. This is my community,” said Toledo Unleashed President Tina Yoppolo.
Toledo Unleashed was formed in 2009 with the goal of opening the first dog park in the city. The group has worked for five years to secure the land for the park, develop a plan for the site, and to find donors. “I’m a retired educator and I’ve always depended on research to make the best decisions,” said Yoppolo. “There’s a park in Bowling Green. The next closest parks in Ohio are in Defiance and Danbury. But most of those parks are just a fenced-in lot.”
The project received a major uplift in May when Steve Serchuk, a Toledo commercial real estate investor, jumped onboard. “I’ve been involved with the animal welfare movement for over 20 years,” Serchuk said about his interest in the park. He has a long history of interest in the wellbeing of animals, including service on the board of directors for the Toledo Area Humane Society for five years. Serchuk was also involved with Humane Ohio, a spay/neuter clinic for low-income pet owners. He served with the Lucas County Dog Warden Citizens Advisory Committee, and is now chairman of the board for Toledo Unleashed. “I’ve always had a big interest in animal welfare, and I’ve been a strong financial supporter for most of the groups in town,” he said.
Originally from Queens, New York, Serchuk moved to Toledo in 1966 to attend the University of Toledo. He met his wife in college and has remained in Toledo ever since. “I don’t even have a dog. I’m a cat guy. I’m doing this to enhance the quality of life for dogs and their owners in Toledo . . . to give an opportunity for dogs to socialize, and to retain and attract young people to our community,” he said.
The initial budget for this project was projected at $75K. Serchuk put up nearly $40K of his own money and committed himself to raising the rest of the necessary funds. As the plans for the park progressed, it became clear that the budget was much higher, at more than $140K. The project has raised $135K at the time of this story, and 80 percent of those funds were raised by Serchuk’s efforts alone.
All of the donors—both individuals and companies—have a shared enthusiasm for this project. The Kuhlman Corporation donated the concrete that was used for a pavilion area in the park. The Shelly Company donated 270 tons of gravel dust for the perimeter walkway of the park, and The Andersons has donated three years’ worth of lawn maintenance products.
Many more companies, individuals and labor unions have contributed to the Glass City Dog Park in significant ways. These include Block Communications, The Toledo Animal Shelter, Lucas County Animal Care and Control, Dr. Bob Esplin of Sylvania Vet, The Toledo Veterinary Medical Association and Yark Subaru.
Thanks to the hard work of Toledo councilman Matt Cherry and the Executive Director of the Associated Contractors, Kevin Smith, several labor unions were also involved. These unions include Sheet Metal Union Local 33, Cement Masons Local 886, Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 50, and The Laborers Local 500.
“We’ve raised the money to finish the park in addition to receiving committments for in-kind donations. We’ve accomplished what we set out to do. Our dog park will be in the top one-percent of dog parks in the nation,” said Serchuck. A “Ground Barking” ceremony was held on August 16 to begin membership signups. As of September 27, more than 200 people were paid members. “I predict that by next year, we’ll have between 500 and 1,000 members. That will be enough for us to meet our projected annual operating expenses,” Serchuk said.
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Charter membership is $10 for 2 dogs with a $5 key deposit, and lasts until February 13, 2015. On February 14, the annual membership renewal will begin at $40 for the year. The Valentine’s Day renewal date coincides with the organization’s mantra: “Nobody Loves You Like Your Dog.”
All dogs visiting the park are required to have an up-to-date license, required shots, and they must be spayed or neutered. Members will access the park with a key card, allowing park staff to monitor who enters the park and at what time. To avoid the possibility of animal aggression, there are no 90-degree angles in the park. This prevents the dogs from being cornered by other dogs. According to Yoppolo, “Most other dog parks [in the U.S.] do not have these rules. If a dog gets aggressive [at GC Dog Park], the owners have one chance. The second time, their card will stop working.”
“Around the perimeter of each park, we have a gravel pathway. Each lap in the big dog parks is a quarter-mile, and in the little dog park, each lap is one-fifth of a mile.
This is so that [owners] can exercise too,” says Yoppolo. The gravel also prevents the dogs from digging under the fence.
Fixed on a 4.4-acre plot south of the Toledo Zoo, on the former site of the South Toledo YMCA, the city-owned property is connected to Woodsdale Park. The dog park is divided into three sections. One section is for dogs under 25 lbs., and the other two sections are for dogs over 25 lbs. Each year the “big dog” sections will rotate, with the unoccupied section receiving needed maintenance. “The big dogs run hard and they tear up the turf, so we will rotate the big dog park. We’ll also provide access to this section of the park for Toledo Police K-9 units and dogs from the warden (in need of permanent homes), so the community will benefit from this,” said Serchuk.
Inside the park, there are 12 pet-waste stations and 16 benches, each with a different sponsoring individual or company at $500 apiece. There are also three combination people/dog drinking fountains at a cost of $3500 each, all of which are sponsored. Toledo Unleashed plans to plant many more trees in the park, and community members can sponsor one for $500.
On Saturday, September 27, Glass City Dog Park held a “Leash-Cutting” ceremony to signify the opening of the park. For the first few weekends, volunteers will be onsite to direct visitors. Kelly Culpert decided to volunteer out of love for her dog, Rocky, a white boxer. “I live within walking distance of the park. It’s really nice to have this so close to home,” she said. “Signing up to volunteer was easy, I just went to the website and filled out the form,” Culpert said. Anyone interested in volunteering at the park can sign up at toledounleashed.org.
Susan Brittson, a life-long resident of East Toledo, jumped at the opportunity to purchase a charter membership for her 8-year-old rescue dog—a black lab named Bear. “We’re really excited to have a place that’s specifically for dogs,” she said.
“This is much needed for us. We’ve been driving to Bowling Green to visit the dog park there, but this location is better for us,” said Leeann Beach. She and her husband Kurt live in Perrysburg with two dogs, a vizsla named Remington and a peekapoo named Izzy. They cited the ability of their dogs to socialize with others as their main reason for joining the park.
“It’s just been amazing how people open their checkbooks and their hearts. By having the dog park, we are telling the world that Toledo is pet friendly. Until now, we couldn’t say that,” Serchuk said.
