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The Foundation for a Green Community recently hosted a tree dedication for the Friends of Open Space in appreciation for their generous donations and support of the FOOS project. During the Washington Township Board meeting, a special resolution approved to permanently record the names of the sponsors in the Washington Township records. Seen here (l. to r.) are Joan and Ron Kuhlman, Jeanette O'Grady, Gail and Andrew Ahrendt, Greg Szymanski, Mike Stanula, Joe Burgess, Mike Mach, Laura and Bill Voss, Pat Peters, Ted Deery and Washington Township Supervisor Bob Howard.
Foundation for a Green Community plans dog park  Share
Beecher residents have registered 900 dogs within the village. The Foundation for a Green Community is reaching out to these canine lovers by designing a park specifically for dog owners and their furry friends. A committee of the Washington Township board, the Foundation for a Green Community recently met on Oct. 7 to discuss preliminary plans for the park. The group plans to meet again on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 6 p.m. to finalize plans. ''We would like to do something for the community without raising taxes,'' said Ted Deery, a township trustee and member of the committee. Deery said the project will be financed through private donations, corporate sponsorship and grants. The committee has already discovered 10 federal and state grants that it may be eligible to receive to help fund the project.
Mike Stanula, a local architect and member of the committee, discussed two possible sites for the park. The first is a 180-foot by 300-foot, village-owned tract that lies next to the new Public Works facility, along Indiana Avenue and Town Center Road, and south of the Washington Township Center. The second location, or Plan B, is an undeveloped area owned by the township that lies just north of the township center's parking lot. Stanula said the first location would provide plenty of room for the project, which includes plans for walking paths, restrooms, drinking fountains and, possibly, shelters. The area would be enclosed by a fence. Stanula said a gravel parking area would have to be included in the plans, since this location lies farther from the parking lot at the township center. Another downfall of this location is that it would be temporary. It is the future site of either a village hall or police station. But, Stanula said, the park would be designed to allow it to be dismounted and moved if the need arises in the future. Stanula said a park could be built in the second location, but it would not offer as much space. Two benefits of this site is that it is not a future building site, and it lies close enough to the township's parking lot that additional parking would not be necessary. The committee plans to finalize preliminary plans by Oct. 20 and appear before the village board at its Oct. 26 meeting. Committee member Barb Dorman said she is organizing a craft show at the township center to be held on Saturday, Nov. 14. She said a portion of the profits will go to the Foundation for a Green Community. Committee members unable to attend were Pat Peters and Tom Brislane. Lynn Dill is a reporter for Russell Publications.
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