BAXTER’S PARK
Baxter’s Park was a classic grassroots effort. Public interest in an off-leash dog park was made obvious by citizen requests to the city. The Magic Valley Canine Social Club, an informal Facebook group of dog lovers, lit the torch.
Community Involvement
In the spring of 2011, the club started working with the city to find a suitable location. The city acquired land at the corner of Blake Street and Shoup Avenue West through an exchange with Twin Falls County. The dog park finally had a home, but the building had just begun.
TFCF Involvement
The dog lovers set a goal of $85,000, rolled up their sleeves, and set to work. They sold T-shirts, sponsored fun runs/walks, and started the Dierkes Lake Pooch Splash, an annual day for dogs to play off-leash at Dierkes Lake.
TFCF provided the fiscal management and fundraising guidance. The Twin Falls community generously volunteered time and gave money, with much coming from large contributions.
With the major donations received for the park through TFCF, the city's parks and recreation staff completed the park construction in time for an August 23, 2014, ribbon-cutting.
Baxter’s Park Today
Additional amenities and careful management have been provided by the Twin Falls Parks and Recreation Department. The park has three separate fenced off-leash areas for small, medium, and large dogs, a socialization area, restrooms for their humans, and a dog waterer.
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