Girl Scout Troop 2813 built a pet microchip scanner station and a tennis ball station at Barkley Dog Park for its Silver Award. Aldermen vote Monday to accept them.

Barkley Dog Park has two new additions built by local Girl Scouts: a station where a lost pet’s microchip can be scanned, and a station that hands out tennis balls.

Girl Scout Troop 2813 built both for its Silver Award, according to a Parks and Recreation memo in the Nov. 2 agenda packet. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen is set to accept the donation Monday and recognize the troop.

How the project came together

The troop contacted the city about doing its Silver Award project at a Spring Hill park, the memo from Parks and Recreation Director Kayce Williams says. The girls presented the idea to the Parks and Recreation Commission on Aug. 20.

They worked closely with city staff and finished the project Sept. 24, the memo says. “These stations are a wonderful addition to our dog park and a great service to the community,” it says.

The commission reviewed and approved the project and recommends that the board accept it, according to Resolution 26-310. The memo lists no cost to the city.

The Silver Award is “the highest honor a Girl Scout Cadette can achieve,” the resolution says. It requires the Scouts to choose and complete a community service project.

What is at the park

Photos of the finished project in the city’s packet show two light blue wooden stations at the dog park fence:

  • A microchip scanning station, with a handheld scanner and printed instructions in a box marked “Microchip Scanning Station.”
  • A tennis ball station, decorated with paw prints and lettered “Balls for All Paws.”

Barkley Dog Park is the fenced dog park in Evans Park, 563 Maury Hill St., with a separate area for small dogs. It is named for Barkley, the golden retriever of Kevin Fischer, the city’s longtime Parks and Recreation director, according to the city’s Barkley Dog Park page.

What it means for you

  • If you find a loose dog near Evans Park, you can now check it for a microchip on the spot. A microchip carries an ID number that links the pet to its owner’s contact details.
  • The board’s vote is at its 6 p.m. meeting Monday at City Hall, 199 Town Center Parkway. The troop is being recognized in the resolution.
  • See our guide to Spring Hill’s parks and trails and our list of dog-friendly places in Spring Hill.