Assemblyman Josh Jensen (R,C,I-Greece), Parma Town Supervisor Jim Roose, Hilton-Parma Parks and Recreation Director Tom Venniro, and members of the Parma Town Board, and Hilton-Parma Parks & Recreation Commission, as well as members of the community, gathered to officially break ground on a new dog park in the Town of Parma on Thursday, Nov. 10. 

During a recent survey of Parma residents, one of the most requested additions to the town’s recreation amenities was a dog park. After the construction of a new, state-of-the-art handicap accessible playground at Parma Town Park, Assemblyman Jensen worked with the town to identify their recreation needs and how to satisfy the demands of their mutual constituencies. Jensen secured $50,000 in grant funding from New York State for planned construction of the dog park, ensuring that the project will have minimal impact on taxpayers in the Town of Parma.

“I am proud to have brought home state resources to help support the Town of Parma as they deliver for mutual constituents,” said Jensen. “The residents of our community have asked for more amenities in which the whole family, dogs included, can enjoy, and I am proud to work with my colleagues in local government to ensure that the needs of our community are met.” 

“We are excited to begin this new expansion in our beautiful Parma Town Park and offer our residents a space that they can enjoy with their dogs as well. Thank you to Assemblyman Josh Jensen for his assistance and support on this project for our community,” said Roose.

“Parma Town Park is a one-of-a-kind experience consisting of most amenities one associates with a park all in one location”, said Venniro. “A dog park, however, is one feature that it currently does not provide to our community. Paired with survey results requesting the addition of a dog park by our residents, studies show that dog parks are one of the fastest growing segments of parks and communities. We are excited for this addition to our park that will improve quality of life for so many by offering a safe space for our furry friends and providing an outlet for socialization and physical activity for both dogs and their owners. We thank Assembly Jensen for securing state resources to support the project and his passion for enhancing our community.”

Earlier this year, Assemblyman Jensen also secured $25,000 in state funding for the Parma Public Library, as well as continued his commitment to improving quality of life through recreation by introducing the Everyone Can Play Act (A.9539), which would create a state grant program to help make it easier for local municipalities to afford to install handicap-accessible aspects to recreation facilities, as well as legislation that would ensure certain handicap-accessible playground equipment in playgrounds within each state park (A.9923).