Because dogs get thirsty too
In 2007, the City of Montgomery Parks and Recreation Commission, along with members of Council and staff, created a plan to improve the City’s parks. Adding refreshment areas to parks and main roads in the City are a major part of the plan.
In 2008, graduates from the Montgomery Citizens' Leadership Academy went to work on some of those plans by donating and installing a landscaped seating and reflection area in Swaim Park. The area included a three tier drinking fountain that not only meets Americans with Disabilities guidelines, but also features the City’s first low level drinking fountain specifically designed for pets. The low level watering bowl is ideal in the park setting because it is designed to drain slowly ensuring the water in the bowl is always fresh.
The valve on the fountain shuts off automatically to conserve water. The automatic valve was added when a spigot on the side of the building in Swaim Park was left on due to either vandalism or inattentive users, requiring the City to take that fountain briefly out of service.
This past June, the City began retrofitting fountains in Weller Park to be more pet friendly. By the end of 2010, all parks in the City will have pet-friendly fountains.