Sign the Petition

Dear Alderman Tunney, Alderman Smith, Rep Feigenholtz, and Senator Cullerton,

43,000 dogs are registered in Chicago, and that number increases every year.  We’re asking for your help to make the community more safe, healthy, and attractive to all park users by building a dog park in Lakeview.   The Chicago Park District has granted us approval for a dog park at Briar and (Inner) Lake Shore Drive.

Benefits of a dog park include:

• Reduce congestion and collisions on area sidewalks and running/biking trails

• Corral dogs in a fenced location where they are not disturbing other areas and users of the park

• Provide a safe, fenced area with a water source for owners to exercise and socialize their dogs

• Reduce incidence of unclaimed pet waste in the public way

Please lend your support to help us make this happen! Thank you!

Lakeview Dog Park Council

Lobby your elected officials

Local, State and Federal governments have various grant funds that may be available to help us build the park. The best way to unlock that support is to have a bunch of residents contact the officials and say they want them to help. This page can help you identify who your elected officials are, lists their contact info, and handy message templates that you can cut and paste.

1. Identify your Illinois elected officials. Enter your address in this interactive map to identify your Alderman. For State Rep and Senator, we will use Sara Feigenholtz and John Cullerton, respectively, as the park is within their districts. https://www.illinoispolicy.org/maps/
    

2. Send an email to your alderman, customize your opening greeting by choosing one of the below:
   "Dear Alderman Tunney,
   As a resident of the 44th Ward,"
   
   or
   
   "Dear Alderman Smith,
   As a resident of the 43rd Ward,"
   
   If you live in a different ward, skip the Alderman, and write to the other 4 elected officials below.  

3. The body of the email should say something like the below.   Feel free to copy and paste:

4. I am writing to express my excitement about the approval of the Lakeview Dog Park project. I am a supporter of this park and think it will greatly improve the quality of life in the surrounding neighborhoods. I have learned that the group needs to raise a large sum of money in order to start construction. I am writing to encourage you to support them in their fundraising efforts and to tap local government funds to contribute directly. Thank you for your support!
   
   Sincerely,
   --Your name here--

5. After contacting your Alderman, contact the rest of the officials on the list.

6. Click the elected officials name to contact them.

   1. Alderman Tunney, 44th Ward

   2. Alderman Smith, 43rd Ward

   3. Senator Cullerton​

   4. Representative Feigenholtz

   5. Mayor Lightfoot

   6. Governor Pritzker

Donations

Our application for a new dog park has been approved!  While this is a big win for all of us, our work is only just beginning. CPD does not supply any funding for the construction of dog parks, so in addition to sponsor and public funding, we are requesting support from individual donors to design and build Lakeview Dog Park. We ask that you make recurring monthly donations of whatever amount you can afford until the construction is complete. $20, $50, $100—whatever you can give will be appreciated, and no amount is too small or too big. All donors that give $100 or more in total will be recognized on our website and will be listed at the park for the first year, and large donors will be permanently recognized at the park itself.

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For tax purposes, Lakeview Dog Park, Inc. NFP (EIN: 84-2161284), is organized as an Illinois not-for-profit corporation and has applied for federal tax exempt status pursuant to Section 501(c)(3). Your donation may be tax deductible. Please consult with your tax advisor for specific advice regarding your charitable contributions.

Volunteer

We are always looking for help from the community. There are plenty of ways to donate your time to the cause. Currently we need help with:

• Fundraising

• Park Design

• Community Engagement

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If you are interested, send us an E-mail.

Become a Sponsor

If you or someone you know would be interested in a corporate sponsorship of the park, we would love to hear from you.

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Please send us an E-mail.