By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
Clark Hatch -- with his beagle, Buster -- has acquired a state
permit to set up and maintain a pet park on Fort Ruger land at
the corner of Diamond Head Road and 18th Avenue.

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Pet park planned
on Fort Ruger land

Clark Hatch wants pets
to have a fun place to exercise

By Harold Morse
Star-Bulletin

CLARK Hatch concerns himself with keeping people fit through exercise, but he strongly advocates pet exercise, too.

The founder of 58 Clark Hatch Fitness Centers in 13 countries -- including one in Honolulu, his home for 22 years -- Hatch succeeded in convincing the state to approve a month-to-month free-rent agreement for a public pet park on Fort Ruger surplus land near Diamond Head.

The Board of Land and Natural Resources action on Oct. 30 granted him a permit to establish and maintain the pet park on some 1.461 acres on the mauka-Koko Head corner of 18th Avenue and Diamond Head Road, near Diamond Head Memorial Park.

"I think that pets, particularly dogs, need exercise and social interaction just like people," said Hatch, 58.

He's trying to prepare a place where they'll be welcome and won't interfere with the public in a setup that will be fun for both the pet and the owner, he said.

"We'll get donations from other pet owners and pet supply warehouses and outlets. I expect the owners to bring their pets there on leash and then -- if their pets are well mannered and get along with other dogs -- they can take them off leash," Hatch said.

"But they (owners) must remain there and supervise them, pick up any droppings and make sure that when they leave, they're leaving on leash again."

Hatch grew up in Minnesota on a 900-acre farm and early acquired the down-to-earth, get-it-done style of Midwestern farm people.

He takes a comprehensive approach in his pet park plan. "We expect to put in an enclosure either in the form of a fence or in the form of some kind of shrubbery, or combination of both," he said.

Hatch also foresees a few new picnic tables to go with one already there, allowing owners to relax while overseeing their pets. Dispensers providing plastic bags for droppings also are planned, he said. "We will do some kind of a water system to make sure that the grass grows well."

Hatch has one pet, a beagle named Buster who weighs 42 pounds and is 16 inches tall at the shoulder. Since he was Hawaii-born, Buster didn't go through quarantine, but the lack of pet playgrounds disturbed Hatch.

"I was quite embarrassed that every park that we wanted to run through or exercise in had a sign that prohibited animals," he said.

"I thought there certainly must be someplace where the people can be welcome to take their pets."

The Hawaiian Humane Society and other animal protection groups will be encouraged to hold classes at the pet park to educate pet owners and provide animal behavior training.