BURNHAM - The Mifflin County Parks and Recreation Committee held a meeting at Derry Township Community Park on July 24 to review the swimming pool area as the potential dog park area. Several updates and suggestions were given during the meeting.
In regard to the dog park, committee minutes state Molly Schlegel met with three subcommittee members to discuss park areas. The subcommittee believed there should be two separate areas in the park, one for large dogs and one for small dogs. Alternating days for each size dog was suggested as well. It was also recommended that a tag would be given to put on the dog's collar, which would indicate proof of shots.
Schlegel also spoke with Bill Paige, Granville Township supervisor, about considering ways to support the dog park. Paige plans on discussing it at the next council meeting.
It was noted that the committee may keep the children's pool already in the area for a watering and cleaning station. It was confirmed that the existing lights in the park do work, and Derry Township is waiting for the engineering consultant to report back on water lines and digging lines. The group plans on taking action on several items, including fencing costs, insurance costs and sustaining support for the park project, before its next meeting.
The committee also began to talk about making the dog park a county-wide community project, not a Derry Township project. Derry Township's role in the project will be to lease the space for $1 per year, according to the proposal in the committee minutes.
According to the minutes, Bill Gomes, of Mifflin County Planning and Development and Marie Mulvihill, of the United Way of Mifflin-Juniata, also worked to get approval to apply for a RecTap grant. The purpose of this grant is to develop a sustainable county wide playground program. It was stated that a municipality was needed to be the sponsor for the application. This requires a municipality to become a "Friend" for the cost of $20, and "Associate" membership is $40.
The next meeting of Mifflin County Parks and Recreation will be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 21 at the Regional Business Center, Lewistown.
