Wednesday, July 10, 2002
Last Tuesday, July 2, several improvements were made to the Reston Dog Park, at Baron Cameron Park. The park was lined with crushed blue stone, to make the park surface more durable and less dusty (the previous surface was made of dirt). There are also five new benches at the park, and a water fountain where owners can fill up water bowls. The renovation was paid for by the Fairfax County Park Authority.
These additions not only improve the park, but also help fortify its future. Around a month ago Brian Davidson, president of Reston Dogs, the group that sponsored the park, speculated that the park had just a 50 percent chance of lasting another year. Some residents from a nearby neighborhood had complained about the park to county authorities, and Davidson was concerned that the county might be swayed. But now Davidson’s attitude toward the park has changed. He said the renovations represent a commitment to the park by the county. There will be a public review process, regarding the park, in September.
"We’re pretty confident that we’re looking good going into the review process," Davidson said. "We understand this is a public process, and we realize anything can happen, but we’re pretty confident."
ELIZABETH BROWN, ANOTHER member of Reston Dogs, said the group has been working to keep the park well-maintained. She said the group has volunteers who periodically sweep the park for dog waste. Reston Dogs also pays a private company to handle trash removal at the park.
And Reston resident Penny Brosious, a Reston resident and friend of Brown, said the efforts seem to be working.
"I’ve heard people say this is much cleaner than other dog parks," Brosious said.
"We’ve heard from the park authority that we’re doing a good job sponsoring the park," Brown said. "We like it and we want to keep it."
Karin Cone, from Reston, said the new bluestone surface at the park is a "little dusty" but she has been told it will settle down after the first rain. Cone was happy to see the new water fountain. She brought a water bottle and filled it up for Sadie, her border collie.
"My dog learned how to drink out of a water bottle today," Cone said. "She saw a group of other dogs drinking out of water bottles, the owners were pouring the water into their dogs' mouths, so she decided she wanted to try it, too."
Baron Cameron Park, which contains the dog park, is located in Reston at the corner of Baron Cameron Avenue and Wiehle Avenue.