Because of members of Fort Riley's Boy Scouts of America, Troop 60, the dogs on post will have more to look forward to at the dog park.
The Fort Riley Directorate of Public Works does provide water to the park, but the rest of the park is maintained by the community of users and volunteers like the Scouts of Troop 60, said Matthew Forristal, volunteer of Troop 60. However, this project was about building something new inside the park.
When the troop is finished, the dog park will have a new agility course equipped with a ramp the Scouts built themselves, a few more trash receptacles, along with a new fenced section for dogs who fit in the under 25-pound category.
Forristal said this is the biggest project they've attempted, and he hopes it teaches the boys to give back to the community, something he said being a part of the Scouts is all about.
For those who use the park, this project represents a large improvement in safety of their pets.
"I have a dog, and I've brought him here before," said Nate Kamper, 13, Troop 60's senior leader. "I've seen dogs get pretty rowdy -- big dogs on small dogs. By doing this, it will help that problem."
The labor to solve the problem was donated by the Scouts but the materials were resources by Master Sgt. Timothy Morgan from the Directorate of Public Works who collected surplus materials from other installation agencies.
"I just went around to different agencies and got stuff that was either old or repurposed," said Morgan. "We had to go around and see what we had and repurpose what we could use for this project here, so for this stuff that probably would have gotten recycled we just repurposed it and used it for the fence for the little dogs."
Morgan said his plans include a shed inside the small dog area to house collapsible tunnels and other play items the dogs can enjoy. He also said with the added pleasure of having these amenities, it is up to the community to take care of each item. Morgan encouraged park users to aid in the upkeep by cleaning up after their pets.
For those interested in bringing dogs to the park, there are a few rules. Dogs must be at least six months old and registered on post with a microchip. Accompanying owners must be older than 12. Dogs must not display aggressive behavior, and owners must clean up after their dogs.
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