Thanks to some hard work and spirit of a few future community leaders, the Blackfalds Bark Park will be getting some new greenery this weekend.

The Girls Guides 1st Blackfalds Pathfinders Group were awarded the TD Bank Friends of the Environment Foundation grant, providing them with $2500 to improve the park after the girls noticed the park was lacking trees for the dogs to enjoy.

Part of the Girls Guides of Canada Pathfinders Program is involvement in their community through projects such as "Rising to the Challenge", where they ask their girls to come up with ideas that focuses on serving and improving their community.

Kelly Thiessen is one of the leaders of the Pathfinders, and she says with help from the Town of Blackfalds and Kat, a local landscaper horticulturist, they were able to order the greenery and get it ready to be planted.

“The girls were responsible for researching the growing zones, the soil conditions, the climate conditions, what trees liked to be planted next to each other, which ones don’t play nice together. Kat introduced them to the topographic maps and how to read them, they went on a nursery tour and learned a little bit more about the trees, and got to visually see some of the ones they picked out.”

Thiessen says the girls really enjoyed the project they did a few years ago when they baked homemade dog treats and donated them to local shelters, and they wanted to provide more for their furry friends.

“They recognized the need for some more trees at the dog park, there’s not really much options for some of the dogs to do their business and the girls thought that should be rectified.”

The girls will be helping plant the 50 or so new trees and shrubs this Sunday (June 24th) at the Bark Park, starting at 9am.

They’ve affectionately named this project, ‘Love is Four Legged Word.’

The new trees and shrubs will include willow, elms, poplars, white spruce, lilacs, and dogwood.