Community Corner

Stratford Dog Park Fetches Big Bucks with Weekend Road Race

Event raises about $5,000, which will help pay for fencing at the proposed dog park.

There may not yet be a set location for the , but after a weekend fundraiser, there's an ample amount of cash to pay for some of its amenties.

A 5k/5-mile road race at Short Beach Saturday raised about $5,000 and drew about 200 runners, according to Matt DeBernardo, the Stratford man campaigning for the park.

"You couldn't ask for a more successful event," DeBernardo said. "We had great sponsors. A lot of people donated money."

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The cash will help pay for fencing at the proposed 1.5- to 2-acre park, an expense which DeBernardo estimates at $12,000.

"That's the biggest expense," he said.

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The total cost of the park, to a town commission, is between $27,000 and $30,000. "Fundraising and local business donations can reduce this number significantly," he noted in the presentation.

To date, about $6,000 has been raised for the park. A recent pub crawl fundraiser raked in about $1,000, DeBernardo said.

DeBernardo said the mayor's office has given the campaign three potential spots for the park and he hopes to settle on a location in the coming weeks.

Note: Photos from the event will be added later today. If you were there and took photos, feel free to add them to the gallery above.


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