A group of 7th grade kids might get a call from Webster
Groves Mayor Gerry Welch one of these days. She'd be asking
about their plan for a municipal dog park.
The kids from Holy Redeemer School in Webster Groves have
been working for about four months on plans for a "Bark
in the Park" dog park.
Proposals for a public dog park have been discussed in
city government for several years. Recently, that public
discussion has started up again.
And students in science teacher Rick Schmidt and social
studies teacher Teresa Martz classes have an up-to-date
report on what it would take to build such a park.
Last month, the kids presented results of their "Putting
a Dog Park in Webster Groves or Bark in the Park" research
study. The report was at a project fair for Citizenship
Education Clearing House (CECH) at University of Missouri-St.
Louis.
(Young Saint
Louis.com covered the project fair and has produced
reports on two of the civic projects. Elsewhere on this
home page, you'll find results of a traffic study report
by students at Francis Howell Middle School. To read that,
click here.)
The Holy Redeemer kids produced a report that covered a
whole range of topics concerning dog parks. They investigated
legal and liability issues, did a public audience survey
and drew up guidelines and rules for the park.
They even investigated the costs of developing the park,
which would have separate areas for both big and little
dogs.
One thing they didn't establish was a place to put the
park. But, they did contact city officials in neighboring
Rock Hills, Maplewood and Richmond Heights to see if those
cities might be interested.
They found out that Rock Hill already has a dedicated area
for a dog park. But, the city hasn't done anything further
about developing one.
Twelve-year-old Katie Garasky said she got a lot out of
the civics project. And that might help her in the future
because she is considering being a politician when she grows
up.
"I want to be a senator or a governor," she said.
The CECH project fair included more than just reports on
civics projects. In the afternoon, the kids held "model
government" exercises. Katie said that also increased her
interest in government.
"I was a councilman during a model city council meeting.
I liked that," she said.
Katie's twin sister, Christie, also was on the kids' dog
park team. She worked on a public audience survey to determine
citizens' interest. Christie said the survey had seven questions
and the kids talked with about 20 people they found in city
parks or on city streets.
She said, "About 60 per cent of the people questioned
said they'd use such a park."
Other kids on the team included Guillamine Delabar, Luke
Appelbaum and Jack Brauer.
Guillamine said he collected prices on equipment for the
park, including the cost of park benches and chain-link
fencing. He said fencing had to extend at six feet above
ground and have webbing below ground to keep dogs from digging
under.
Luke said he helped design the features of the park. That
would include putting in plumbing so the dogs would have
fresh drinking water.
Jack said he researched the city's liability insurance.
He said that would include liability for dog bites as well
as $3.5 million in insurance against vandalism.
One of the first things involved in this civics project
was for the kids to decide what they wanted to study. For
that, Mayor Welch and a representative of the parks and
recreation department gave them a briefing.
Luke said, when the question of a dog park came up, "the
parks and recreation guy said he had two dogs and he'd be
sure to use any such park."
Guilllamine said they might not have a final report on
the dog park ready by the time this school year ends at
the end of June.
"We might have to finish the report next year," he said.
But, he said that would be okay because Holy Redeemer School
includes an 8th grade before the kids go on to separate
high schools.
Asked about the reaction of city officials when the kids
called for information, Katie said, "If they didn't know
we were in elementary school, they took us seriously. But,
if they knew we weren't in high school, they didn't."
Guillamine said he was impressed by the visit of Mayor
Welch at the beginning of their project.
"She came in before we had settled on the dog park. She
talked about some of the other projects that might work,"
he said.
'But, in the end, she urged us to have some fun with the
project," he added.
All of the kids said the dog park project made them more
interested in city government.
Christine Garasky said, "It was fun."
Luke said, "I can see how actions by the government can
help communities out."
Jack said, "At first, I thought it was going to be just
boring stuff. But, now I can see that government can be
interesting."
