A Yakima teen saw a need and acted. The result is new agility equipment for the City of Yakima’s Dog Park at Randall Park.
Brayden Packard, 15, noticed the need for dog park equipment and made it his project for earning an Eagle Scout badge.
“I see a lot of elderly people using the park for their dogs,” the West Valley High School sophomore said. “For many, this is the place they can let their dogs play off-leash.”
The agility equipment includes a series of fixtures for dogs to run through and jump over. He raised $4,000 for the project and installed it with support from his church and scout pack.
“This young man is to be applauded for not only seeing a need, but acting on it and improving a City of Yakima park,” said Yakima City Councilmember Kay Funk, the Council’s liaison to the City’s Parks and Recreation Commission.
And Brayden, the son of David and Lynette Packard, sees more need for the dog park.
“I would love to see the community come together and raise money for a shade area at the park,” he said. “As it is now at the park there’s no escape from the sun.”
Parks and Recreation Commission members learned about Packard’s efforts during their meeting in July. The dog park opened in 2014 after a dedicated group of dog lovers approached the City about building a place for dogs to roam and enjoy. The group not only helped to design the dog park, but also helped raise money to pay for its construction.
“The people who volunteered their time to turn the dream of a dog park in Yakima into a reality worked very hard to make this project happen,” said Parks and Recreation Manager Ken Wilkinson. “It is so great to see a new generation share that vision and value our City’s dog park.”
Click https://yakimaparks.com/ for more about the City of Yakima’s Parks and Recreation Department.