Andy Close
A dog park is a relatively simple concept – it’s a public place, typically fenced, where people and their dogs can play together and socialize in an off-leash setting.
It’s something that’s been a dream in Warren County for several years, one that has been brought to life by the hard work of a lot of people, including Rocco DelPrince and his wife, Rebecca.
Now, thanks to that hard work, ground has been broken on a park right here in Warren County, located right next to the Warren County Visitors Bureau in Starbrick.
“Probably three years ago there was a group of people who decided that Warren County needs a dog park,” Rocco said. “The organization vetted different parks in the city. Each area had a different drawback.
“Probably about a year ago we started talking with the Visitors Bureau. It’1 ½ acres of vacant lot that wasn’t being used. From what we were told it used to be a drive in movie theater. We thought we have a great neighbor that’s willing to help us out and we worked with the Visitors Bureau to subdivide the property.”
The DelPrinces noted the difficulty of finding land at an affordable price in Warren County, so they did some fundraising, which proved to be a great success.
“We did some fundraising and received some grants from the Community Foundation, the DeFrees Family Memorial Fund and some other private donors that were very generous,” Rocco said. “We have officially raised enough money to raise the access ramp from the Visitors Bureau parking lot to the entrance.”
So what made the DelPrinces decide to get involved?
Living in Warren, they often take their three dogs to the Lakewood Dog Park, but they wanted to bring one closer to home.
“Yes, it’s in Starbrick, but it’s five minutes from every part of Warren,” Rocco said.
The park will sit on the 1 ½ acres of flat green grass, with 5-foot tall fencing. There will be three different sections of fence, so there won’t be too many dogs in one area. There will be a few trees, some benches, different seating arrangements and some pet waste cans.
“It’s a simple thing, really,” Rocco said.
A simple thing that required a vision.
“It’s really what the dog owner is comfortable with,” Rebecca said. “We based some of our ideas on the Lakewood Dog Park.”
The DelPrinces, along with the rest of the Woofington Dog Park Board, are targeting a spring of 2021 completion date.
“A lot of people are excited about the park,” Rocco said. “From where we’ve asked for feedback, the responses are very positive. People are just generally excited about the idea.”
The winter will be spent fundraising, with the park fully ready to go by the summer of 2021.
“We have a great, diverse group of professionals on our board,” Rocco said. “A lot of dog lovers.”
And those board members, along with all dog owners in Warren County, will have a lot to love about Woofington Park.
