Dog owners chip in to improve Ukiah dog park

While their dogs ran around, some owners cleaned up their play area.

At the dog park in Ukiah, one of its regular users started an impromptu work party Saturday morning.

That was cool.

The recent onslaught of rains had turned the lower part of the park into a swamp, caking dogs and owners in mud on their way in and out.

So the user spent his Saturday bringing a wheelbarrow and shovels to the park, then set about moving wood chips to the mucky entrance to create a drier platform.

When other dog owners saw what he was doing, a few of them chipped in to help, turning one man’s idea into a community effort. 

Their actions reminded me of my favorite line in Barack Obama’s farewell address: “If something needs fixing, then lace up your shoes and do some organizing.”