Village park goes to the dogs
By Meghan E. Murphy
Times Herald-Record
December 10, 2009 - 11:12 AM
MONTGOMERY - The Orange County Choppers' celebrity is breeding a bonus for village residents and their best friends: a state-of-the-art dog park.
Paul Teutul Jr. and his two giant pups will unveil the park Saturday for the public and TLC's "American Chopper" film crews. The approximately one-third-acre site, complete with an agility training course and a coin-operated, high-tech dog wash, includes about $50,000 in time and materials donated both by dog lovers and companies that could benefit from national exposure they'd get from being on the show, Teutul Jr. said.
Mayor Steve Brescia said he suggested the collaboration after Mike Teutul approached him about painting a mural for the village. Instead, Brescia asked the Teutuls to help with a dog park concept in the village's Pleasure Ground Parkland. The only other such facility in the area is Orange County's dog park, about five miles away in Hamptonburgh.
Teutul Jr., who owns a Rhodesian Ridgeback named Abraham and a Weimaraner named Isaac, jumped into the project with his new company, Paul Jr. Designs. The village Department of Public Works installed much of the donated equipment. The design will cost the village about $15,000, for which donations are being collected and fund-raisers will be planned, Brescia said.
In the sixth season, the future of "American Chopper" is still up in the air, as negotiations for another season continue. Paul Jr. sees benefits either way. If there's no show, he and Mike could make other plans and even pitch new TV ideas. Regardless, Paul Jr. said he will continue growing and promoting the design company, which is already spinning off the dog park project by pitching a new dog toy.
The unveiling of Paul Jr. Designs Dog Park is Saturday at noon. To donate to the village dog park, call clerk Linda Thompson 457-9661, ext. 202.
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