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Assistant animal control officer presents 'Rainbow Bridge' memorial for Dennis dog park
Summary
The Select Board heard a full presentation from assistant animal control officer Joanna Golden proposing an ADA-compliant Rainbow Bridge memorial at Cheryl Malone Fresh Pond Dog Park, to be funded by donors and a local nonprofit; the Conservation Committee and disability advisory chair have endorsed the plan.
Joanna Golden, identified at the meeting as the town’s assistant animal control officer, presented a detailed concept for a Rainbow Bridge memorial at Cheryl Malone Fresh Pond Dog Park, saying the idea draws on similar installations elsewhere and would be the first on Cape Cod. "The Rainbow Bridge is considered a link to heaven and earth," Golden said, describing a flat, ADA-compliant walkway and a platform where visitors could leave collars or tags and read an inscribed plaque thanking sponsors.
Golden outlined the design and site plan, including moving an existing accessible parking stall, installing crushed-stone surfacing, arched railings painted in rainbow colors, native plantings and a donor plaque. She told the board the project team is working with DPW on grading and that the project “will be fully funded thanks to the generous sponsors and donors” and fundraising by the Dennis Owners Group, a 501(c)(3) volunteers group that backs dog-park projects.
Board members and attendees praised the idea and asked practical questions about installation and maintenance. One resident asked whether there will be hooks or railings where visitors can attach collars and tags; Golden said the project includes sections of railing designed for that purpose. Conservation and disability-advisory representatives have reviewed the concept: Golden said the Conservation Committee unanimously approved the project and the chair of the Dennis Advisory Committee on Disabilities has worked with the team to ensure ADA compliance.
The board did not take a formal vote or commit town funding; members emphasized that the town cannot directly fund private fundraising and that the nonprofit group will be responsible for raising and managing donations. The chair encouraged the project team to return with a fundraising link and implementation details at a future meeting so the board can publicize donation options and ensure any required permits or DPW coordination are in place.
The next procedural step described at the meeting is for Golden and the Dennis Owners Group to continue fundraising and to return when materials, schedules and logistics (including DPW grading) are ready for the board to review.
