Chairman's Letter:
First, thank you for your continued support. The enormous amounts of rain we’ve had have created a mud pit we're not proud of. Thank you to whomever has been laying down the straw to minimize the mud. Even then, dogs love that mud. Oy! Thank you to Jeff Pandin, our Treasurer, for driving over an hour to pick up that straw.
Re: County Meeting -
Albeit later than originally mentioned, we finally met with the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) about the new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and our concerns, e.g., drainage. The meeting went well, and I believe both sides are excited about formalizing the partnership.
Promising news! The county would like to address the muddy mess by re-grading and resurfacing the smaller side (North End). The details and timeline are being flushed out over the coming weeks. I'm expecting to have those juicy details to share at our next membership meeting. Date and time forthcoming. Expect a written update from me, too.
Our topmost concern: The draft MOU currently states fertilizer is prohibited. Obviously, if we can't use *any* fertilizer our grass will probably die. FCPA understands the impact of this 'no fertilizer' clause and is seeking clarification on our behalf. I'm mentioning this because part of Westgrove pride and joy is the grass. I’m optimistic natural fertilizers will be allowed after FCPA runs the MOU clause back thru their experts.
Re: Running of the Dogs -
When are we opening the gates so our doggies can run and romp on the grass? Assuming the weather cooperates, I'm thinking in April/May. Probably April. We all want relief from that mud pit.
In conclusion, if I had to predict change, 2019 will be a pivotal year toward our long-term goals. The county supports our vision for the park, and the MOU is nearly complete. Your board members are excited and motivated to make Westgrove the best dog park in the county if not the state. Is there a dog park magazine? If so, we’ll be on the cover!
Warm Regards,
Mark Thomsen
Chair, Westgrove PACK
Re: County Meeting -
Albeit later than originally mentioned, we finally met with the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) about the new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and our concerns, e.g., drainage. The meeting went well, and I believe both sides are excited about formalizing the partnership.
Promising news! The county would like to address the muddy mess by re-grading and resurfacing the smaller side (North End). The details and timeline are being flushed out over the coming weeks. I'm expecting to have those juicy details to share at our next membership meeting. Date and time forthcoming. Expect a written update from me, too.
Our topmost concern: The draft MOU currently states fertilizer is prohibited. Obviously, if we can't use *any* fertilizer our grass will probably die. FCPA understands the impact of this 'no fertilizer' clause and is seeking clarification on our behalf. I'm mentioning this because part of Westgrove pride and joy is the grass. I’m optimistic natural fertilizers will be allowed after FCPA runs the MOU clause back thru their experts.
Re: Running of the Dogs -
When are we opening the gates so our doggies can run and romp on the grass? Assuming the weather cooperates, I'm thinking in April/May. Probably April. We all want relief from that mud pit.
In conclusion, if I had to predict change, 2019 will be a pivotal year toward our long-term goals. The county supports our vision for the park, and the MOU is nearly complete. Your board members are excited and motivated to make Westgrove the best dog park in the county if not the state. Is there a dog park magazine? If so, we’ll be on the cover!
Warm Regards,
Mark Thomsen
Chair, Westgrove PACK
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Past Newsletters:
| presidentletter_april_newsletter2017.pdf |
| january2017_newsletter.pdf |
| september_2016_newsletter.docx |
| august_2016_newsletter.docx |
| june_2016_newsletter.docx |
| march_2016_newsletter.docx |
| november_newsletter.docx |
| october_newsletter.pdf |
| august_newsletter.pdf |