Walton's Bark Park back in business

Alaqua Animal Refuge has rescued thousands of dogs since opening four years ago on the Emerald Coast, but now, the no-kill shelter and adoption center is rescuing Walton County’s only dog park, Bark Park Inc. On April 12, the Walton County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved Alaqua Animal Refuge as the new operator of the park.

Bark Park, located on J.D. Miler Road in South Walton, was founded in 2006 by a group of citizens who realized the need for such an amenity in the area. Walton County, which owns the property, donated the use of several acres for the park and a volunteer board ran its operations.

In December 2010, the off-leash park was in peril of closing due to economic reasons, and Laurie Hood, president and founder of Alaqua Animal Refuge, expressed interest in the nonprofit assuming operational responsibilities for the park. Several reports in January announced that the park lacked complete insurance coverage and county officials closed the park. However, Hood and her board were determined to save the park.

“We understand what a valuable asset the park is to our community, so we worked very hard to find the appropriate insurance coverage that would finally allow us to assume operations and reopen it for the dog lovers of our area,” said Hood.

Her goal is reopen the park within the next week or so and then to focus on raising money to use more of the site. In the past, only three acres of it was devoted to the dog park, while the rest sat unused.

“I was disappointed to learn that Bark Park Inc. was no longer able to partner with Walton County in providing this amenity for our community,” said Commissioner Ceclia Jones. “Yet, through the joint efforts of our county staff and the willingness of Alaqua Animal Refuge taking on this endeavor, I am pleased to see Bark Park reopen soon. Laurie Hood’s vision for the park will bring a new vitality to South Walton and our visitors.”

County workers have already sent crews to the park to walk the site and begin clearing the land. They discovered the parcel – the site of a former landfill –was fenced in and consisted of 20 acres, which is much larger than the original Bark Park.

The park will reopen as Alaqua Animal Refuge’s Bark Park, and while it will be associated with the refuge, it will stand alone as a separate nonprofit, allowing for separate budgets and donation allocations. She said that she already has a list of 50 to 60 supporters, who have offered to serve on a fund-raising committee.

“While we see a great opportunity to have an affiliation between these two animal-focused entities, we want to make sure that donors for both the refuge and the park are comfortable with how their gifts are being used,” Hood said.

Alaqua Animal Refuge’s long-term plans for the park include improved landscaping, a sheltered seating area and the installation of an agility course. The park may also serve as a location for obedience training and pet-adoption events. Hood also wants to put an old AirStream trailer there to sell snacks and drinks, as well as a dog wash station.

Alaqua Animal Refuge’s Bark Park will offer a variety of annual memberships. Memberships issued by the former organization will be honored by presenting a Bark Park card. The park will also offer sponsorship opportunities for businesses interested in offering support.