Department of Parks and Recreation

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• Registration
• Rentals
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• Thank You & Awards
• Sports & Civic Groups

As a reminder, this 243-acre parcel was received in 2001 as a public benefit transfer (free) from the US Department of the Interior’s Federal Lands to Parks program with a real estate value of over $15 million.  To the residents of this community who strive to preserve open space, the value is priceless.  We invite everyone to visit the site, take a walk, bike or rollerblade, play on the playground, picnic in the pavilion, or relax by the pond.

Shenandoah Woods Update
With approval from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), redevelopment plans for Shenandoah Woods in Warminster are moving forward.  Parks & Recreation staff is currently working on the application to the Department of Interior Federal Lands to Park program which will allow Warminster Township to obtain 25 acres of woodlands at the south portion of the property as a public benefit transfer to further expand WCP’s natural areas.  A portion of the 25 acres is proposed to be used for a storm water retention facility. 

Safety Town Opens to All!
It’s a hit! Warminster Rotary and the Parks & Recreation Department would like to extend a huge thank you to all of the community volunteers who came out to help build Safety Town over the 2011 summer months.  The outpouring of community support was immeasurable with over 100 volunteers working over 1200 man hours to build the facades. Additional help came from the Township Public Works Department, students at MBIT and Katie and Maria Tercha, who completed all the supplemental add-ons that give the facility such character.  Safety Town will remain open during the winter, weather permitting. 

Party at Safety Town!
We are currently working on the logistics that would allow residents to rent Safety Town for children’s parties in the summer.  If you are interested, please keep checking the township website for more information:  www.warminstertownship.org/safetytown.

WCP BIRDING – FALL/WINTER 2011
The end of August and the beginning of September marked the start of the fall migration for many of the birds that visit us for the summer months.  Some of these birds are; Red-winged Blackbird, Tree Swallow, Baltimore Oriole, House Wren, Chipping Sparrow, Barn Swallow, Eastern Kingbird, Killdeer, Eastern Phoebe, Indigo Bunting, Wood Thrush, Eastern Towhee, Gray Catbird, Red-eyed Vireo, and Yellow Warbler.  These birds can be seen and heard in the Warminster Community Park throughout the summer breeding months.  Then they leave and fly south to warmer climes for the winter.

The summer birds are then replaced by winter visitors, namely; Black-capped Chickadee, Dark-eyed Junco (Snow-bird), White-throated Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Horned Lark, and Snow Bunting.  These birds can be seen in the fields and woods of the WCP during the winter months.  Robins and Bluebirds, thought to leave, also spend the winter in this area and are seen during the winter.  The American Gold Finch, also thought to migrate south, is actually here all year long.  They have bright yellow feathers for the summer and molt them in the fall, when they are replaced by olive colored feathers.

Through-out the winter we will see our resident birds, which are here all year long.  Among these are the; Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, White breasted Nuthatch, Starling, several woodpeckers, House Sparrow, Mockingbird, Mourning Dove, House Finch, and Pigeon.  Other birds that can be seen in the WCP are; Mallard Duck, Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, Crow, Red-tailed Hawk, Coopers Hawk, Sharp-Shinned Hawk, and Turkey Vulture.  There are, of course, more birds that can be and are seen in the park.  The ones listed in this article are the most common.
~Russ Neiger, Ann’s Choice

WARMINSTER’S BARK PARK 
For more info:  www.warminstertownship.org/barkpark

New Bark Park Paw Pass applications are available for the 2012 calendar year.  There will be no limits on the number of members who can participate in the Park in 2012.   New members are required to complete an application, provide copies of current vaccinations and County licensing, pay an annual fee and attend a Bark Park workshop.  These 90-minute workshops are provided FREE at the WREC by a certified trainer so that area residents and their canine friends get the most of the dog park experience.  In exchange, members receive the Rules and Regs, Bark Park etiquette & safety info, a Bark Park ID tag and a Paw Pass gate card.  Hours for the park will be 8:00 AM-Sunset – weather and conditions permitting.  The Bark Park has been designed to include two (2) separate fenced-in areas for the large and small dogs to run off-leash and include pavilion coverage, water (in season) and benches.

Reminders for our Bark Park Members:

1. CLEAN UP, NO EXCUSES! - Keep the dog park clean and more importantly our dogs healthy. A dog owner should always have bags with them, even if provided at a dog park. 
2. NO SMOKING or Food in the Park – dogs are getting sick on butts left behind.
3. Socialization & Basic Commands – work on socialization BEFORE going to the dog park.  Dogs should respond to basic commands since a dog must be under the handler’s control at all times when in the dog park.
4. Water – A dog owner should always have water with them, even if provided at a dog park. The water supply will be shut down from Dec 1 thru April 1 to prevent broken pipes.
5. Calm Your Dog Before Entering a Dog Park – new found friends can get all of us excited, including our dogs. Hyper dogs in close proximity to each other can create a dangerous situation. Take a walk or have a play session to drain excess energy before going to the dog park.
6. Fleas & Ticks – Check with your vet about the best time for flea & tick applications for your dog. Remember, it’s better to prevent the problem than to have to treat it.
7. Incident Reports – All incidents must be reported to the police or animal control within 24 hours: 267-803-4859.
8. Only Members Allowed! – To ensure the safety of all dogs, members should not permit others into the Bark Park.  You are responsible for any injury or damages done by a non-member.

Once you and your dog enter the Bark Park, it’s tempting to just stand back and watch all the activity.  But everybody will have a much more rewarding time if you observe basic rules.  Please remember that dog parks aren’t a right, they’re a privilege – don’t let the bad behavior of a few ruin things for everyone else who will utilize the Bark Park, now and in the future.