Leaders of the Friends of Scituate Dog Park are asking the town to assume responsibility for operating and maintaining the popular community amenity, saying more than a decade of volunteer work has become increasingly difficult to sustain.
The request prompted a lengthy discussion at the June 9 Select Board meeting, where board members expressed appreciation for the group's work but questioned whether the town has the resources to take on additional responsibilities amid ongoing budget pressures.
Friends of Scituate Dog Park President Lisa Huffman told the board that the organization has fulfilled the mission it was created to accomplish after helping establish and expand the dog park on town-owned land at 167 Driftway.
"Through thousands of hours of work, fundraising, and personal financial contributions, we built what is now a vibrant public space used and enjoyed by Scituate residents and residents from the surrounding communities," Huffman said.
The organization was formed more than a decade ago to create the dog park and later completed a small-dog area that represented the final phase of its original vision. Huffman said maintaining the park through volunteer labor and fundraising has become increasingly challenging. Donations have declined, fundraising events generate less revenue than they once did and the group has struggled to recruit both volunteers and board members.
"While we have been proud to do so, certain fundraising opportunities that could have helped us sustain revenue such as advertising and sponsorships at the park were not afforded to us," Huffman said.
The group currently has four board members despite a goal of maintaining at least seven. Huffman said volunteer burnout has become a significant issue after years of overseeing operations. Board member Susan Grondine Dauwer emphasized that the group is not seeking help because the park has failed.
"We're not saying tomorrow we're packing it in and not finishing things," she said.
Instead, she described a successful community asset that no longer has the volunteer infrastructure needed to support it indefinitely. Select Board members acknowledged the value of the park but raised concerns about the financial and operational implications of a municipal takeover. Town Administrator James Boudreau explained that the challenge extends beyond direct expenses.
"It's an opportunity cost," Boudreau said. "If you're using staff to maintain and do work in the dog park, they're not doing something else."
Board members also questioned whether taking over the dog park could establish expectations for other nonprofit organizations that manage community resources.
Select Board member Freya Schlegel pointed to the original agreement that assigned maintenance responsibilities to the nonprofit group and said she was concerned about the precedent that could be created if the town assumes those obligations.
Member Nico Afanasenko said he sympathized with the volunteers but struggled with the broader implications of shifting responsibilities to municipal government.
"I struggle right now with the idea of where our current municipal budget is, where our current forecast for at least the next year or two is, and taking on not just the extra expense, which may not be huge, but the expense to our town employees I think is significant," Afanasenko said.
The discussion also focused on alternatives. Dog park leaders suggested that future operations could potentially be supported through user fees or voluntary contributions similar to other municipal programs.
Afanasenko encouraged the organization to continue exploring community support and volunteer recruitment before the board revisits the issue.
"I would be curious to see what your group can do to find people who are interested in any level of involvement," he said.
The Select Board did not take action on the request and voted to continue the discussion at a future meeting. Members indicated they would like additional information about potential volunteers, operational needs and possible alternatives before deciding whether the town should assume responsibility for the park.
About the South Shore Times
The South Shore Times is an independent, locally-owned digital news platform, free to readers, that covers communities south of Boston. Our articles are written by South Shore reporters, not AI.
For more South Shore news, subscribe to our newsletter.