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The Columbus Dispatch wrote
Patch on 4th Street pushed as dog park
Monday, April 9, 2007
By Mark Ferenchik
Downtown doesn’t offer dogs much room to romp, but now there’s a plan to find them some.
The proposed dog park at Spring and N. 4th streets would be in a small triangle at the southeast corner, now a green patch just big enough for a dog to run a couple of short laps and do his business.
The one at 4th and Spring would cost up to $45,000. It would have a pea-gravel surface, a wrought iron fence, a couple of benches and waste receptacles.
Wood said a mix of private donations and, he hopes, city money would pay for the park.
At the corner of 4th Street and Spring Streets
Thanks to the City and to The Downtown Residents Association, it’s a done deal. Park Benches, fences, it’s ready to go when your dog is.
That might be the smallest dog park in the country. I calculated 0.06 acres. The city should acquire the adjacent parking lot to expand it or buy the one across the street.
Seriously, .06 acres is plenty. People are simply misunderstanding, this isn’t for your dogs…this is for the Downtown Dog. His name is “streetcar”, as he’s the only one we’re going to get…and he’ll be playing catch with a medicine ball there every day between 1:30 and 1:45.
Seriously though… I agree that it’s small. But I haven’t really seen too many Great Danes living in the 500 sq ft condos nearby.
I’m not trying to defend this as “The Greatest Dog Park in the History of Dog Parks” but it’s hardly as bad as people are making it sound. I’d love to hear from some of the people who live nearby and might actually use it. I’m sure there are several who are members of DRAC who had a lot of say in how this was built. Are THEY happy with it? Isn’t that what matters?
Couple things…
1. Great Danes are one of the most highly recommended small apartment dogs you can buy, because they require very little exercise. There are also currently about 7 great danes who are regulars at Schiller, more than any other breed in fact.
2. I believe, after seeing this post, that this dog park was built by realtors…not dog owners. I don’t believe for even a second that an owner of even the smallest, least active dog on earth would consider that a “park”. I do believe that people selling condos would spend a few minutes of their time and a handful of dollars to claim that their condos that are now at rock bottom prices are suddenly close to a “downtown dog park”.
3. You’ll never hear from someone who actually uses it…because no one actually will.
[quote="Walker"]Wow, you
bike ridersdog owners sure are a picky bunch. :lol:Or do the people who never bike or don’t have dogs just not care about things that are important to the bike riders and dog owners?
Or you could combine the two…like in Chicago, on their 24 mile bicycle tour of downtown dog parks…
http://www.afeman.com/ccc/DogsRide.html
but hey, we Columbus dog folks have 11 feet of free and open dog space to let our dogs run free.
Why complain?
I thought I heard that DRAC actually came up with the money for this project.
Couldn’t they fence off some of the surface parking lots and let dog owners use them on the weekends/evenings when they are empty? I know its not grass, but still i cant think of any better large open expanse downtown where dogs could roam free. :?
I was in Dallas yesterday and saw an enormous dog park downtown under several highway bridges.
Then I thought about the song Under the Bridge. Next I thought that song’s about loneliness and despair, not dog parks!
Anyway, looks like Columbus has some work to do before we get a jem like this:
http://www.deepellumdogpark.com/park.html
As an aside, this is the interesting neighborhood the dog park is in:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Ellum
Actually you have lots of park space all over town where dogs are welcome. I’m really not sure why you’re complaining about more dog space, even if it is a small amount that you never plan to personally use.
that is a nice use of space in dallas.
no.
Elizabeth Leahy: Chair of the Downtown Dog Park Association…CB Richard Ellis
Actually you have lots of park space all over town where dogs are welcome. I’m really not sure why you’re complaining about more dog space, even if it is a small amount that you never plan to personally use.
Because I’d assumed…being your board and all…you’d read the numerous posts about the efforts to remove those spaces from our use.
p.s. If people decide to work with Schiller and Goodale and stop screaming about “no more off leash dogs ever”, I am perfectly content. The problem is, they don’t.
p.s.s. Because, btw, it’s also insulting. It really is no different than if they put a plastic slide in to that exact same space and called it a “metro play area” for children. It’s a ridiculous use of space, for transparent ulterior motives, and I have an issue with that.
oh…btw…Mark Young, also a member at large of the board of the Downtown Dog Park Association, is the point man for Boyce’s entire leash law campaign, and has been for almost 10 years.
I hear Columbusite is going to be appointed to the board of ODOT next week…
Finally, THIS is not a park of any kind…dog or otherwise:
Core, I knew you would say that better than I could. They should turn that dog park into a scooter parking lot and make at least somebody happy. I don’t know a dog on earth that would enjoy that space.
is to South Park as this postage stamp is to a Dog Park.
I don’t even have a dog and I find it irritating.
Alright alright. I learned a long time ago never to get into a battle opinions with Coremodels. You win. Nevermind. Forget I said anything. I admit that my opinion is wrong.
:P
:P
Just so you know, I’ll have the same kind of passion when you fight for the first KLD kid park, dog park, whatever it is you need :lol:
That fence is a potential hazard to dogs. A fence jumping dog can be impaled on a fence with spikes on top. Well, I guess you wouldn’t bring a jumping dog to that park anyway, given it sits right on a roadway like that, but it’s something to be aware of. Harley was impaled on a fence. It’s nasty business.
Aesthetically, it’s pathetic.
Dog bathroom pit – sure. Dog park - I don’t think so.
If I’m dilligent, maybe I can fundraise and make enought money for one of these in German Village to take the place of Schiller Park. :roll:
Wait — I think I may have enough in my couch cushions…