Tom Donaldson wrote: > Dog parks should be placed where they are least likely to cause > environmental damage. At the river, south of Minnehaha, an ancient oak > savanna is being severely eroded by an ever-growing influx of dogs and > people. > Add more and more mountain bike traffic, and suddenly a little-known oasis > turns into a muddy, mono-cultured traffic jam.
I have lived near this area for twenty years and I mourn its loss to me as a user. While I used to be able to revel in some quiet time hiking and bird watching away from the bustle of the city, I can no longer enjoy it because of its designation as a dog park. In addition, the trampling of the sensitive and rare environment (the spring ephemerals, the sensitive seeps ecosystem, the flood plain, the oak savannah and prairie) seem to me a big price to pay for dog freedom. Those losses cause me great pain and raises my anger level against dog owners every time I drive by. While I am not opposed to dog parks in general, I have always wondered what problem we are specifically trying to solve and whether it is worth the costs. With regards to the proposed spot at Nicollet Avenue, I would have concerns if the location is in the flood plain of Minnehaha Creek. My impression of the smaller dog park areas that I have seen is that they are similar to feed lots in their concentration of animal waste. Living as I do, downstream from Nicollet, I am concerned that run off would be directed to Lake Hiawatha, which already has major water quality problems. They say dilution is the solution to pollution. We have a number of small green areas on both park and city property around the city that have no specific designated use. I wonder if the answer may be to designate many small areas around town as off leash spots, without fences, where dog owners may run their animals freely. It seems that the concentration of animals and owners is what most neighbors are opposed to. Pam Blixt Minnehaha/NENA _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
