Stephen Vance, Staff
The Beautiful Joe Heritage Society paid a visit to Meaford’s council on November 21 to present a cheque in the amount of $4,317.95, the final payment for their share of the cost of the establishment of a leash-free dog park on Grant Avenue.
“Due to our various fundraising efforts this year, we are pleased to present to you a final cheque for the leash-free park one year earlier than expected and promised,” BJHS volunteer Lynda Stephens told council before presenting the cheque.
In September of 2012, council was told that the estimated cost for the leash-free dog park project would be $20,000, with the Beautiful Joe Heritage Society (BJHS) contributing half of the funding and the municipality contributing the other half. In order to get the project moving forward, the municipality fronted the full cost, and the BJHS agreed to repay their share.
Costs to establish the facility included $16,500 for perimeter fencing and gates, $2,000 to develop a parking area, $1,000 for signage and garbage cans, and $500 for a watering area for the dogs using the park.
The BJHS agreed to repay their $10,000 share to the municipality within five years. The park officially opened in August of 2013.
The funds were raised through a number of community initiatives as well as through donations received from as far away as the United Kingdom.
With their share of the cost for the leash-free park now paid off, the BJHS will focus its efforts on projects at Beautiful Joe Park where they plant to make improvements to the gardens, and to plan for a proposed mural development, as well as working towards their long-term goal of having a footbridge installed across the river from the park in order to improve access to the property.
