Agility Returns To The Bayfront Dog Park!

From the City of Mill Valley:

Great news, thanks to young community volunteer, William Gilmore, dog agility play has returned to the Mill Valley Dog Park! Sometimes, it really does take a village.

Following from the April 3, 2019 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, the City worked to support local Boy Scout William Gilmore, Troop 1, on upgrade of agility equipment in the Bayfront Dog Park. As a local kid working toward his Eagle Scout rank, William wanted to give back to the community he lives in and loves through the completion of an Eagle Scout Service project designed to create fun and engaging play features for local dogs and the folks who love them.

Eagle Scout requirements specify that a Life Scout must plan, develop and give leadership to others in a local service project benefitting a religious institution, a school or one’s community. The City of Mill Valley has partnered with the local Scouts on a number of awesome Eagle Scout projects over the years; these community-based volunteer projects help the City to provide much needed additional support of our DPW Parks Division in care of our parks, fields, open spaces and recreation facilities and in the care of our Steps, Lanes & Paths (SLPs) and other important environmental stewardship efforts.

The timing of William’s proposal could not have been better as previous dog agility equipment had been deteriorating and showing serious signs of age; City staff identified equipment upgrade as a priority as the significant wear and tear on the features signaled the natural end of the play equipment’s lifecycle. The Parks and Recreation Commission enthusiastically agreed that it was a good time for a hand crafted make over, approving William’s proposed project at their meeting last April. Commissioners embraced this neat community project as a positive first step in a series of enhancements planned for the dog park in the future.

In addition to the City’s Parks & Recreation Commission, as part of the project process, William gave presentations to a number of other local groups to gather community and project support including the Troop 1 Parent Committee, Marin Council Eagle Board and members of the dog community; this enterprising young man also presented to The Rotary of Mill Valley, Mill Valley Volunteer Firefighter’s Association and Friends of Mill Valley Parks and Recreation in order to raise all the necessary funding.

Volunteer Coordinator Ronnie Moore, Parks Supervisor Tony Boyd, former Tam High Engineering and Woodshop Instructor Geo Monley, local certified dog trainer Jim Shier, Mill Valley Rotarian Kent Campbell, and William’s parents helped to support William in the design, creation, layout of hand crafted, agility course equipment milled from local redwood.

Come by and check out the cool new features with your agility loving dog!

This press release was produced by the City of Mill Valley. The views expressed here are the author’s own.