MATTAPOISETT — Freemin Bauer has envisioned a dog park in Mattapoisett since 2016, when he was brainstorming ideas for his Eagle Scout Service project.

The dog park still lingered in his mind, even after opting to raise money for a Fairhaven dog shelter for his project instead.

“I still wanted a dog park in Mattapoisett, because we have plenty of land for everybody and no dog can go anywhere off leash,” he said. “So I decided to keep doing the dog walk-a-thon to raise proceeds until I can get enough to build.”

The ninth annual Dog Walk-a-thon took place on Saturday, August 23, starting at Center School. Participants and pups were able to donate $20 toward the cause, receive a walk-a-thon t-shirt. and embark on either a half-mile or full mile walk around town.

The O’hara family has “come a bunch of years in a row” to participate in the event and help establish a dog park in Mattapoisett. With yellow Labrador Callie in tow, the family gave a donation and joined the walk.

“All proceeds for the dog walk-a-thon are gonna go to a future dog park,” said Bauer.

In the past nine years, Bauer has raised approximately $20,000 and is still working toward his goal of acquiring a definitive space for the park and continuing to raise funds.

“The more money we get, the more toys and obstacles we can get for the park,” he said. “Especially for the water bubblers we want to get, they are pretty pricey.”

As a member of the Holy Ghost Reuse Committee, Bauer is hoping that part of the land can be used for a dog park. 

The Holy Ghost Grounds, located at 19 Park Street in Mattapoisett, were once used as a community gathering space. The committee is currently planning renovations for the now vacant 7.8 acres of land, which include the possibility of a dog park.

Select Board member Jodi Bauer states that Freemin currently has $20,000 saved up for the park, and intends to apply for an additional $10,000 grant from the Stanton Foundation once he acquires land. 

The Stanton Foundation is a New York-based organization that provides grants supporting canine health and welfare, according to the foundation’s website.

“If we can lock in some town land, he can apply for the grant and move forward,” she said.

While the Bauers describe the nine-year process as “frustrating,” they are still “fighting” for the cause and hope to see the park built within the next two to three years.