Small Dog Park to Be Built at Scituate’s Central Field

SCITUATE - A long-anticipated expansion to Scituate’s dog park is officially moving forward after the Select Board accepted a $164,944.25 donation from the Friends of Scituate Dog Park at its May 13 meeting. The contribution—raised through community events, individual donors, and grassroots fundraising efforts—will fund construction of a dedicated space for small dogs at the town’s existing Central Field park.

The small dog park, which will occupy a half-acre adjacent to the main entrance, is designed for dogs weighing 30 pounds or less. It will complement the original dog park built in 2017, which remains open to dogs of all sizes.

The project has been in planning for years, with momentum disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite setbacks, volunteers with the Friends of Scituate Dog Park continued raising money through bake sales, donation drives at the transfer station, and annual events like a Halloween costume contest.

"We've literally collected 50 cents at a time from people at the transfer station by staying out there all day," one volunteer told the board.

The group also recently participated in the “Get to Greenbush” event and credited a wide array of donors—from residents to local businesses—for the successful fundraising campaign.

In addition to the $164,944.25 donation, the town allocated $18,055.75 in Community Preservation Committee (CPC) funds, bringing the total budget for the project to $183,000.

The Select Board awarded the construction contract to D’Allessandro Corp. of Quincy, which submitted the lowest bid. Town officials expect construction to begin soon and be completed by the fall.

With work expected to take just a couple of months, it is expected that the park will be completed before autumn. 

During the meeting, board members raised concerns about whether existing parking would be adequate once the new area opens. Representatives from the Friends of Scituate Dog Park said they plan to monitor the situation and adjust as needed.

The group is also working on new signage to help define usage guidelines, particularly the weight limits for the small dog section. Board members emphasized the importance of clear communication to avoid confusion.

While most of the funding came from community members, the project also benefited from earlier grants by the Stanton Foundation. Although no Stanton Foundation money is being used for construction, the organization provided two prior grants to support design work.

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