June 5, 2009

Fellow Dog Owners and Dog Lovers,

The purpose of this letter is to update you on the efforts to establish the Cordova Recreation Park District’s (CRPD) first off-leash dog park. The effort, spearheaded by the “Gone To The Dogs!” Committee, has received a temporary setback after five years of hard work because of recent actions by the Cordova Recreation and Park District Board of Directors (CRPD Board). The Dog Park Committee’s only objective is to establish CRPD’s first off-leash dog park with grass-roots community support.

The Committee, comprised of volunteers from our community, carefully examined, with CRPD staff, all the park areas within the CRPD boundaries and unanimously recommended Hagan Park as the most feasible place to establish an off-leash dog park. This occurred in 2004-2005. Two years ago the CRPD Board voted to approve the CRPD’s first off-leash dog park in Hagan Park and provided $25,000 and an authorization for the Committee to proceed.

With that promise in hand, the Committee relayed that commitment to the public and you, community members, responded with gifts, contributions, and many volunteer hours. The Dog Park Committee organized fundraising events and successfully raised enough money for a Hagan off-leash dog park to be established. We are grateful for your support. Your contributions for the dog park are made through Friends of Cordova Park Charitable Foundation, a 501 (C) 3 charitable organization. In early April, 2009, a feasible site at Hagan Park was decided upon and a design was finalized. The Dog Park Committee and CRPD were ready to begin building the Hagan Dog Park.

Recently, however, a new CRPD Board, at a public hearing on April 22, 2009, has rescinded that commitment, declaring that no site has been determined at this time, and in essence, wants to reexamine all CRPD parks to see if an off-leash dog park should be built elsewhere in CRPD. They have directed the District Administrator to analyze alternative site locations once again, including those outside Hagan Park, for future recommendations to the CRPD Board. The CRPD Board’s decision was at least partly based on a few citizens’ concerns over the proposed Hagan Dog Park site and its proximity to community events such as the 4th of July, Kids ‘N The Park, and Kids Day.

At the CRPD Board meeting, the Dog Park Committee informed the CRPD Board and these citizens that the Hagan Dog Park would not affect these community events since it would be closed for special events such as the 4th of July. The Committee advised that all other CRPD parks had been evaluated, researched and analyzed and that is how the recommendation for Hagan Park was developed. The Committee also advised the CRPD Board and these citizens that this recommendation was based on a combination of legal, facility/infrastructure and financial constraints after reviewing each CRPD park.

These unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances will delay the planning and building of CRPD’s first off-leash dog park. While the Dog Park Committee is confident that our dog park will eventually be established, we are unsure when and where. Basically, we are back to square one in terms of finalizing a dog park location in CRPD.

You have generously and enthusiastically provided moral and financial support in the past and we ask for your help once more. We ask that you please write a short letter or send an e-mail to the CRPD Board and voice your concern. Please tell them that establishing the first CRPD off-leash dog park is long over-due and we need to take action now. If you wish to suggest or recommend Hagan Park as the preferred site for CRPD’s first off-leash dog park, that is your choice.

Please send your comments to:

Board of Directors
Cordova Recreation and Park District
2197 Chase Drive
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670

E-mail may be sent to:
Any or all CRPD Board members at the CRPD website, http://www.crpd.com

or

trish@crpd.com
Trish Lindvall General Recreation Supervisor

Thank you for your continuing support.

Sincerely,

“Gone To The Dogs!” Dog Park Committee

/Signed/

Brian Fansler
Sacramento

Morton M. Rumberg
Gold River

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The First Annual “Canine Classic” Golf Tournament is set for Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 at the Cordova Golf Course on Jackson Highway in Rancho Cordova. Green fees package is $60 per player.

The tournament is sponsored by “Gone To The Dogs!”, a volunteer committee with the Cordova Recreation Park District. Proceeds benefit the District’s first off leash dog park at Hagan Park scheduled to open in Summer, 2008.

In addition to a full eighteen holes, the tournament will include “closest to the pin”, “longest drive” and “hole in one” contests plus you can “buy” your own mulligan.

Corporate and individual hole sponsorships are also available. For more information, canineclassic@crpd.com or visit www.crpd.com or call 916-362-1841 x20.

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Gone To The Dogs
By Brian Fansler

Gone To The Dogs, a volunteer committee of the Cordova Recreation & Park District, hosted its first annual Winter Woof Fest fundraiser Saturday, December 1st at the Cordova Recreation & Park District headquarters.

The dog park fundraiser included dogs getting their photos taken professionally by Jess Alvarez, courtesy of Alvarez Photography, with Santa Paws (volunteer Ed Steele) along with Santa’s Helpers — volunteers Shellene Evans and Sandra Peterson (Sandra Paws). A number of canines and their owners were so impressed with the photos they decided to have them printed onto a t-shirt onsite.

A number of silent auction items were also available to bid on. The items included Kings tickets, gift cards from Bel Air and The Sheepherders Inn as well as gift certificates from Animal Den Pet Resort, Buffy’s Barkery, Chipotle, gift baskets from Launderdog, Hollywood Video, Booklovers Bookstore and a number of homemade gift baskets and other items. Gone To The Dogs also sold popcorn, drinks and memorabilia at the fundraiser event. In all, nearly $700 was raised for off-leash dog parks within the CRPD. The boundaries of the CRPD are Prairie City Road to the east, Watt Avenue to the west, Jackson Highway to the south and the American River to the north.

The District’s first off-leash dog park at Hagan Park is scheduled to open in the summer of 2008. GTTD has raised sufficient funds for the dog park fence and secured final approval for the site. This winter, GTTD will begin designing Hagan Dog Park in coordination with the Park District. Starting in spring 2008, the Park District can begin installing the dog park fence and in summer 2008 the dog park can be open.

GTTD is planning its next fundraiser, “The Canine Classic” golf tournament for Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 at Cordova Golf Course on Jackson Highway. Proceeds from the golf tournament will go towards the water fountain and water line for Hagan Dog Park.

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Gone to the Dogs
by Brian Fansler

The Rancho Cordova dog owners group, Gone to the Dogs, is planning some fun for your furry friends. The 1st annual Winter Woof Fest will include vendors with dog related holiday treats, fun activities for you canine, and Santa Paws will be on site for pictures with your pet. You’ll even be able to have your picture turned into a t-shirt on the spot.

Gone to the Dogs is a non-profit group raising funds to build the first dog park in Rancho Cordova. They currently have plans and approval to build the first dog park at Hagan park. The event will be held Saturday, December 1st from 1-4 pm at the Cordova Community Center at 2197 Chase Drive. Admission is free. For more information and to register visit the Cordova Recreation and Park District website.

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