« April 2003 | Main | June 2003 »
May 28, 2003
Speaking Our Minds
Thanks to Dottie Rhodes and Laurel Pruski for speaking at Tuesday's City Commissioners meeting (and to Scott Wiebenga for lending moral support). Many officials feel that a dog park is a good goal for the city and we hope to continue working closely with them to make this happen.
These meetings take place every Tuesday at 2 p.m. at City Hall, and the floor is open to citizens to speak their minds. Feel free to attend and show your support for a dog park in Grand Rapids.
Posted by at 05:46 PM | Comments (1)
May 26, 2003
Dog Photo of the Week -- 5/26
Vader is a 4-year-old male Neapolitan Mastiff owned by Debbie Tompkins. He's a frequent visitor to Riverside Park.
Posted by at 02:47 PM | Comments (0)
May 21, 2003
City Commissioners Meeting
At 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 27, we are asking anyone that would like to attend the Grand Rapids City Commissioners meeting at City Hall and voice your support for our city-sanctioned dog park and it's inclusion into the 2004 budget.
We'd love to get as many supporters there as we can. If your schedule permits, please join us! Laurel Pruski and Dottie Rhodes will be there representing our group.
Posted by Gwen at 09:21 PM | Comments (0)
More Public Pulse
Fellow Grand Rapids Dog Park Enthusiast, Laurel Pruski, wrote a great letter to the editor of The Grand Rapids Press today. Click here or click on the extended entry below to read her letter.
Great job Laurel!
Dog park signals a progressive city
I am responding to the May 3 article in The Press, "Some feel funding bite, anger at dog park plan."
The Press attempted to incite the community by referencing the budget cuts faced by the Grand Rapids Police and Fire departments. However, these departments are part of the Public Safety Service Group and not part of the Planning and Community Development Service Group, which includes the Parks and Recreation Department.
The Police and Fire departments are unrelated to Parks and Recreation. Although a dog park may seem "silly" or "stupid" to some, a large part of the mission of the Planning and Community Development Service Group is "to enhance the enjoyment of urban living by planning, promoting and assisting in the maintenance and improvement of the city's neighborhoods, parks and open spaces."
The mission of the Parks and Recreation Department is "to provide quality leisure opportunities to the Grand Rapids community."
A dog park provides more than just a "puppy playground." It offers a place for dog owners to gather, exercise, socialize and build stronger communities.
As Grand Rapids continues to grow and become more of a progressive city, certain changes will need to take place.
I commend our city manager, Kurt Kimball, and Parks and Recreation Director Jay Steffen for recognizing that a dog park would be one small step towards helping Grand Rapids become a more progressive community.
LAUREL PRUSKI
Grand Rapids
Posted by Gwen at 09:17 PM | Comments (1)
May 19, 2003
Dog Photo of the Week -- 5/19
Gideon is the official welcoming committee at Cambridge Park. People and dogs alike can always count on a friendly hello.
Posted by at 01:11 PM | Comments (2)
May 17, 2003
Letters to the Editor
Some great letters to the Editor of The Grand Rapids Press appeared in today's paper. Check them out here or click on the extended entry below. Please note that all letters were edited by The Press.
Good job everyone! Let's keep up the good work!
Dog park a smart idea
So a dog park in the city budget is "silly" and "stupid" ("Some feel funding bite, anger at dog park plan," Press, May 3)?
Tell that to people in cities like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Cincinnati and Denver. In smaller cities like Madison, Wisc.; Eugene, Ore.; Sanford, Fla.; and Scottsdale, Ariz., and in many cities throughout Michigan, including Ann Arbor, Royal Oak, Howell, Northville and, soon, Saugatuck. There are hundreds of dog parks in communities across the country -- for good reason.
My husband and I moved here from Chicago four years ago. It wasn't easy to meet people or feel part of a community at first. But when we got our dog, we were told about a nearby park where people gathered with their pets.
Juliette was abused before we adopted her and was fearful of men. In the nearly two years that we've been taking her there, she's become very social and outgoing with both women and men. She's come out of her shell. And we've made a lot of friends as a result.
I've joined a book club with some women from the park. I've gotten photography tips and job leads. I've started work on a project with a designer I met there. My husband and I have gone to dinner on several occasions with people we've come to call friends. We've gotten to know many of our neighbors and have come to value this community even more.
We want parks like ours to become official. There's no public place in Grand Rapids to exercise or socialize our dogs off their leashes without worry of a ticket or a fine.
A dog park in the city budget isn't "stupid," as one critic stated -- it's a smart move for Grand Rapids. Look at how many other communities have already taken this step. It's something the city should have done long ago.
LORI HARRISON-SMITH
Grand Rapids
Dog parks reduce unwanted animals
I've been following the recent responses to The Grand Rapids Press article, "Some feel funding bite, anger at dog park plan" (May 3) and I was insulted by the Ed Riojas cartoon, which read, "Do we need more public safety officers or road improvements? No! We need a doggie park. That's what this city needs. After all, dogs are people, too, you know. . ."
As I turned the page, there was an ad for the Human Society and some of its dogs and cats that need a home. Part of the caption for Einstein, one of the dogs in the ad, read, "His owners felt they didn't have enough time to meet his energy needs."
Sounds like Einstein and his owners would have benefited from having a safe place to exercise him. It's really sad that more people in our community don't get the connection between having a safe place to exercise their dogs and the number of unwanted dogs at local animal shelters.
It is equally sad that The Press feels the need to portray the legitimate need for an off-leash dog park in such a condescending and biased manner.
GWEN O'BRIEN
Grand Rapids
Dog park has support, merit
We were disappointed with the story, "Some feel funding bite, anger at dog park plan" (Press, May 3). After several interviews with The Press -- the majority of dialogue being about our clean-up event -- we were surprised that what could have been a positive community volunteer story was turned into a negative story about a political hot button.
The event our group organized was a citywide clean-up of five major parks to show our dedication to the communities that we live in (and pay taxes in) and to show that we're responsible dog owners and good neighbors.
Dog owners use the city parks on a daily basis. However, where taxpayer money has been spent on basketball courts, tennis courts and swimming pools, none has ever been spent on our needs. Dog owners in the city pay for the use of parks just like everyone else and we deserve to have a place to safely socialize and exercise our pets.
The $25,000 budget for the dog park is just 1.25 percent of the city's $2 million capital improvement fund. Compare that to the $250,000-plus being spent at Cambridge Park. Sidewalks, bleachers and shelters are being installed in a park that sees very little usage from residents, except for the many dog owners who go there every day -- all year round.
We've worked hard to organize ourselves in an appropriate and responsible manner and to work with the city in establishing a dog park. We gathered over 2,200 signatures in support of this effort. It's hard to understand how anyone could be "surprised" about it being in the budget.
It was put into the budget because it has support and merit. It's too bad our goals were framed in such a negative manner.
DOTTIE RHODES,
spokesperson
Grand Rapids Dog Park Enthusiasts
Grand Rapids
Room in budget for dog park
I was disappointed to see that The Press, in its May 7 editorial, joined in the demonization of the idea of having places in Grand Rapids where dog owners can lawfully let their dogs chase thrown sticks and play with other dogs ("Nix proposed parade policy: GR budget shouldn't bill groups for parades, or include a dog park").
Tens of thousands of people in Grand Rapids own dogs. In order to be healthy and well-adjusted, dogs living in a city genuinely need the exercise and dog-to-dog socialization they can only lawfully and safely get in a fenced-in dog play area.
That is all that dog parks are -- fenced-in areas about the size of a softball field where we dog owners can lawfully let our dogs off their leashes to play and romp and socialize with other dogs.
These are tight budget times and no one cares about the judicious use of money more than I do, but not having a single place in this entire city where we dog owners can lawfully let our dogs exercise, play and socialize off-leash is just silly.
Let's quietly and cheaply address that long-overlooked need by putting up some simple chain-link fences around some under-used corners of some existing city parks and then move on, focusing budget angst and editorial ink on the bigger fish we need to fry.
Thousands of city dogs and their households will be better off for it.
JOHN M. ARNOLD
Grand Rapids
Posted by Gwen at 11:52 AM | Comments (0)
May 16, 2003
Muskegon Dog Run
Muskegon has a great place to take your pooches for a swim and a long walk on the beach -- off-leash! Yes, it's called Norman Kruse Park and it's located right on Lake Michigan.
For more info, check out their web site.
Posted by Gwen at 10:10 PM | Comments (2)
May 15, 2003
Bark in the Park
Looking for something fun to do this Sunday?
Bark in the Park is a group effort to educate the public about responsible pet ownership, activities you can do with your dog, how to prevent and avoid dog bites and how to find the right dog for you. Various rescues, responsible breeders and dog related organizations will be there to help educate people about specific breeds and activities.
Bark in the Park is taking place May 18 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Garfield Park (on Burton between Jefferson and Madison).
Posted by at 10:04 AM | Comments (0)
May 12, 2003
Da Girls
Josie and Ella love to play at Cambridge Park - they are always ready to go!
Posted by Gwen at 09:02 PM | Comments (0)
May 10, 2003
Does this make sense to you?
As a group, we've been following the recent responses to The Grand Rapids Press article, "Some feel funding bite, anger at dog park plan". Today they printed the comic above, which reads, "Do we need more public safety officers or road improvements? No! We need a doggie park. That's what this city needs. After all, dogs are people, too, you know...”
Turning the page, there's an ad for The Humane Society featuring dogs and cats that need homes. The caption for Einstein, one of the dogs in the ad reads, "... His owners felt they didn't have enough time to meet his energy needs." Sounds like Einstein and his owners would have benefited from a safe place to exercise him. It’s really sad that more people don’t get the connection and that The Press feels the need to continually portray our legitimate needs in such a condescending and biased manner.
Posted by Gwen at 07:11 PM | Comments (0)
May 08, 2003
Group Letter to the Editor
Below is our formal letter that we submitted to the editor of the Grand Rapids Press today.
---
We were disappointed with the "Some feel funding bite, anger at dog park plan" article in the Saturday Press.
After several interviews with The Press – the majority of dialogue being about our clean-up event – we were surprised that a positive community volunteer story was turned into a negative political hot button to provoke the public.
The event our group organized was a city wide clean-up of five major parks to show our dedication to the communities that we live in (and pay taxes in) and to show that we’re responsible dog owners and good neighbors.
Dog owners use the city parks on a daily basis. However, where taxpayer money has been spent on basketball courts, tennis courts and swimming pools, none has ever been spent on our needs. Dog owners in the city pay for the use of parks just like everyone else and we deserve to have a place to safely socialize and exercise our pets.
The $25,000 budget for the dog park is just 1.25% of the city’s $2 million capital improvement fund. Compare that to the $250,000-plus being spent at Cambridge Park. Sidewalks, bleachers and shelters are being installed in a park that sees very little usage from residents. Except for the many dog owners who come there every day – all year round.
We’ve worked hard to organize ourselves in an appropriate and responsible manner and to work with the city in establishing a dog park. We gathered over 2,200 signatures in support of this effort. It’s hard to understand how anyone could be "surprised" with it being in the budget. It was put into the budget because it has support and merit. It’s too bad our goals were framed in such a biased manner.
Dottie Rhodes
Spokesperson for the Grand Rapids Dog Park Enthusiasts
Posted by Gwen at 09:14 PM | Comments (0)
Letters to the Editor – Send 'em!
If you'd like to express your views about the May 3 article in The Grand Rapids Press ("Some feel funding bite, anger at dog park plan"), please write a letter to the editor and send it to:
Public Pulse, the Grand Rapids Press, 155 Michigan St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
E-mail (no attachments): pulse@grpress.com
Fax: 222-5212
Thanks for your support!
Posted by at 09:44 AM | Comments (1)
May 07, 2003
More "News" from the GR Press
The Grand Rapids Press is back - bashing the need for a city-sanctioned dog park in their article, Festival organizers, volunteers parade through budget hearing.
Posted by Gwen at 04:11 PM | Comments (0)
City Commissioners Meeting
We'd like to invite everyone to come down to City Hall for the City Commissioners Meeting on Tuesday, May 13th at 2 p.m. and voice your opinion why Grand Rapids needs a dog park. The City Commissioners need to know that we are viable park users and 2,500 residents of Kent County support a city-sanctioned dog park.
Please come and voice your support for Grand Rapids dog park!
Posted by Gwen at 03:43 PM | Comments (0)
City's Preliminary Fiscal Plan 2003-2004
If you'd like to review the City's proposed budget and form your own opinions about it, you can review it here.
Posted by Gwen at 03:30 PM | Comments (0)
May 05, 2003
Dog Photo of the Week -- 5/05
It's a Rottweiler thing - Ella, Keneesha and Jake with their moms!
Posted by Gwen at 09:09 AM | Comments (0)
WXMI Dog Park Story
WXMI covered our Spring Scoop Up as well as our reaction to the GR Press article this weekend in their story, "Dog Walkers Want Their Own Space".
(Check out the great shot of Josie!)
Posted by Gwen at 08:58 AM | Comments (1)
May 03, 2003
1st Annual Spring Scoop Up
Thank you to everyone that participated in our 1st Annual Spring Scoop Up! Overall, the parks were very clean -- we picked up more trash than poop! It really shows that we have done a great job overall in maintaining clean parks for us and our companion animals.
We cleaned Fuller Park, Wilcox Park, Cambridge Park, Garfield Park and Riverside Park. Thanks again for all your hard work and community spirit!
If you have any photos from the event that you would like to post on the site, please send them to info@grdogpark.com.
Posted by Gwen at 08:47 PM | Comments (0)
Grand Rapids Press Article
Unfortunately, The Grand Rapids Press decided to take our positive volunteer effort, our 1st Annual Spring Scoop Up, and put a negative, political twist on it -- in their article, "Some feel funding bite, anger at dog park plan".
Please voice your comments on this article and how you feel our cause was presented. We are drafting a letter to the editor in response to this article and would welcome your suggestions.
Posted by Gwen at 08:30 PM | Comments (3)
May 02, 2003
Saugatuck Dog Park
The Holland Sentinel reports, "Park will go to the dogs". Laurie Collins, three of her friends and Saugatuck Township officials are developing what they say will be Allegan County's first off-leash dog park south of Blue Star Highway on the township's eastern edge. Read article.
Posted by Gwen at 01:59 PM | Comments (0)