Horsham Dog Park Seeks Contest Grant Money For Ground Upgrades

HORSHAM, PA — Dog lovers in the area are being urged to participate in a contest to help a local dog park have a chance at winning a grant to help improve the pet play space.

Now through Aug. 31, individuals can vote for the Horsham Dog Park, which haS been named a finalist in the nationwide PetSafe Bark for Your Park Dog Park Grant Contest.

The winner receives a $5,000 grant, and Horsham is hoping to be able to collect those winnings in order to improve the notoriously saturated grounds at the green space, among other enhancements.

The park is entirely volunteer run, and as such relies on donations. Fundraising took a hit in 2020, the year of the pandemic, and volunteers are now hoping to secure the winning grant to help bolster the park’s offerings.

The PetSafe website has a section about the grant contest in which the Horsham Dog Park states that if it wins the $5,000, it will use those funds toward mulching the often soaked grounds at the space.

“HDP is historically wet land and requires mulch to be spread each year to manage excessive ponding throughout the park’s surface,” reads information from the Horsham Dog Park on the contest webpage. “The mulch, which is currently the park’s largest annual expense, helps to ensure the land can remain usable and safe in all weather and seasons.”

The description also says that dog park volunteers in Horsham have designated specific areas within the dog park where “water-loving trees” can be planted to help combat some of the wetness problems in the space.

And lastly, portions of the grant money are expected to be allocated toward fence and bench repairs, as well as weed management.

“Winning this grant would not only make a huge difference to the general annual maintenance expenses of the park but would also allow the community members the ability to address other improvements or much needed enhancements while allowing it to remain free and secure for all to enjoy,” the description states.

Directions on how to vote for the Horsham Dog Park in the nationwide contest can be found here.

To check out some photos of pups at play in the Horsham Dog Park, visit this recent piece in the Bucks County Courier Times.