Dog Park Users Have Bright Idea

It's a canine refuge that encourages exercise and healthy social interaction. However, many shy away from the park during the scorching heat and opt to visit in the evening, when temperatures cool down. The problem? Many folks and their furry friends are left in the dark.

Michelle Garcia brings her kids and her puppy on a regular basis. "We like to come in the morning before the sun starts getting really hot or later in the evening and it makes it hard because there is no lighting out here", says Garcia.

There is some sparse lighting in the zoo parking lot and on the perimeter of the jogging trail, though visitors say, it doesn't help much in the penned areas.

"If my wife were to come here by herself, she would be a lot less comfortable than me, whenever it gets dark", says Ryan Busby, dog owner.

Though several locals told us they would appreciate better lighting and would visit the dog park more often with the addition of lights, the issue of funding is also on the forefront of people's minds

"The only hesitation I have is, if it's really cost effective to get lights. I don't know if they would be stadium-style lights or what they could afford to put in here", says Busby.

"This dog park is the greatest thing that they've ever built, but it's just the lighting in the evening where it really just gets us", Garcia explains.

The park rules state that the grounds are open until dusk, and many hope eventually, they can use the park even later.

We spoke with representatives from the dog park and they told us that currently there are no plans to put lighting in the park. However, the Friends of Camp Barkeley Foundation tells us they would be willing to oversee fundraising if there is enough volunteers and donations from the community.