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Friends of Woonsocket Dog Park ask council for safety and maintenance help; city offers staff contact
Summary
A group calling themselves Friends of the Woonsocket Dog Park asked the council for improvements to entrances, benches and gates and offered volunteer help; city staff said the Department of Public Works oversees the site and the mayor's office will coordinate volunteer support.
Members of a community group that uses the Woonsocket Dog Park told the council Monday they want safety and maintenance improvements and asked how to collaborate with the city.
Colleen Hendry, speaking for a group she called Friends of the Dog Park, said the park's main entry becomes muddy and hazardous in rain and that previous rubber mats have been buried by mud. She asked whether the city could install concrete pads at entrances to improve safety and accessibility. Hendry also requested that the park receive benches with closer slats because current benches can trap dogs' legs; she said a small dog had been injured when its leg got caught.
Jenarino D'Onofrio, who gave a residential address and said she had called the Department of Public Works, said gates and latches are rubbing and failing and that mud makes the inside gate difficult to close. Both speakers asked whether the city could provide a small storage shed inside the park to hold shovels, rakes and pet-friendly ice melt for volunteers.
Director D'Agostino (Public Works) replied that the items fall under the director of public works and that staff have noted the issues. He said work orders will be generated and that he could not answer immediate cost or schedule questions at the meeting but would follow up. The mayor offered the mayor's office as a volunteer contact point and asked the group to reach out to Liz Kerrigan or the mayor's office to coordinate volunteers.
Council members praised the group's volunteerism and encouraged use of a newly formed "Friends of the Woonsocket Dog Park" Facebook group to coordinate meetups and condition updates. The dais noted animal control or the police department should be contacted if a dog is injured or there is a dog fight; the group recorded a phone number (766-1212) for animal control inquiries.
No formal action was taken at the meeting; the city said it will review the requests and follow up with the group.
