Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Dog Days Come To Clarendon Park


From CPNA:

"OMG! New Dog Park in Clarendon Park is OPEN! Please relieve the stress on our lawns by checking out the newly-built, just-opened (and currently nameless) Dog Park.  It is now open and your dog will love it.  Shade, water, other dogs' butts, etc. 

The Dog Park is located on Marine Drive at approximately Sunnyside Avenue, right next door to the Park District service yard.  Now all we need is a name, some volunteers to help keep the park clean, and a small budget for upkeep.  Details, details...."

UU Note:  We went with our canine buddies to check it out and found, although it's about half the size of Puptown, the new park is really nice, with all the creature comforts:  benches, dog- and people-height drinking fountains,  and different surfaces for the dogs to run on.  The only thing missing were the dogs!  So bring your pooches and come out and play.

12 comments:

  1. Captain, only if they put a photo of her on the ground so my dog can relieve himself on her face.. it would be poetic..

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  2. Went there today.

    It's okay. Will be great once a community develops around it.

    A few notes: It's built on a hill. That's cool and all but the gate is on the bottom of the hill and doesn't go down far enough to prevent balls to fall under it.

    So basically every time you throw a ball and the dog doesn't catch it, you have to open the gate and go into the unleashing area to grab it.

    Not a huge problem. Somebody just needs to get some chicken wire or something and extend the gate down another inch (hence this place'll be great once there's a community around it that'll do some of these improvements)

    Also, all the garbage cans were located outside the park and in the unleashing area. I solved that by moving one inside the actual park.

    After going there, I decided that it would be a great place to be a "little dogs only, please" park with Puptown being for larger dogs. It IS smaller but that wouldn't matter if it was for smaller dogs.

    In perfect hindsight, I think the money would've gone better towards expanding and improving Puptown. Having two dog parks within ONE CITY BLOCK of each other has just made people wonder why there aren't dog parks in other areas. This new one IS closer to me and even I think it's silly.

    Woo hoo for dog park. Boo-hoo for location.

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  3. Since the park is closer to you than Puptown MicroFiber Militia, why not contribute your time to helping make it better instead of criticizing it?

    A dog park can't get built without a group that is committed to its care and maintenance. The city may put up funds to get it built - but thats it. It's up to the community group to raise money and put in the effort to care for it going forward. I'm sure they would welcome your help.

    Puptown is a great space b/c has one of the most active and organized community groups I've seen. Not b/c of the city. They raise funds through optional membership fees and put on fundraisers - which pay for the care and improvements to the park. I'm not affiliated with it in any way - I've just talked to them about how they operate their park.

    Who cares if the new park is within a few blocks of Puptown? There's childrens playgrounds at Disney, Clarendon and Margate as well - are these too close together?

    Dog parks encourage people to hang outside in their community. (aka positive loitering). This helps discourage shady types from spending time in the area. If you can get more positive loitering around Clarendon (which needs it) by putting a dog park there - I'm all for it.

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  4. ::rolling eyes::

    The park is fine. I'm not saying "DOWN WITH THE NEW DOG PARK" and carrying a pitchfork.

    I already said that a community around it will improve it.

    Puptown is more suited for my dog (big-big dog).

    Criticizing the planning (as I noted, with PERFECT hindsight), is not a horrible thing to do.

    I did say YEA for dog park. In every one of my comments to other dog owners, I've said my criticisms (TWO of them) and also said how easy it'll be to fix and ALSO how perfect it would be for smaller dogs or at least nervous smaller dog owners who are concerned about most big dogs' ability to play with lil' ones.

    Plus, COME ON! I went to the dog park! And not with a notepad and librarian glasses on! I'll go again!

    Making comments about dogs peeing on Shiller are better than a couple valid critiques of the place?

    I'll fall back into the background of Uptown Update comment boards now, kthxby

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  5. I second the idea for a dedicated large dog park, and small dog park. Here is my rationale.

    With the summer months coming and more people bringing their dogs out to all local dog parks, I need to BEG for increased owner diligence and responsibility in watching over their dogs, especially smaller ones, in public places.

    My dog and I were both bit last Saturday at Puptown at approx. 2:45PM. The culprit was a VERY aggressive and violent 40lb black lab mix with greyish spots on its legs that was terrorizing the larger (and younger) dogs for a good 30 minutes while his owner sat under a tree on his iPhone.

    This dog thrust my 86lb puppy up against the fencing then latched on to her hind quarters as she tried to run away. When my dog took all she could and finally let out the 'voice' letting me know things had escalated to a bad place for her, I stepped in. All the while I was yelling 'whose dog is this?' and no one helped me. They all stood around doing nothing while the owner sauntered over still on his phone. Keeping his biting dog away resulted in me getting a three-inch bite on my thigh. No one knew the owner and the dog wasn't wearing tags that I could see.

    While I know it's not ideal, I had to step as I am 100% positive that had I let my dog work it out (aka bite the other dog in retaliation from being attacked) everyone would have said 'that 86lb dog attacked a small dog'...a complete lie, but what most people would surmise. Public opinion seems to be big dogs are aggressive; small dogs are the victims.

    People, if your dog is aggressive STAY HOME!!!!!! Do not take it to a park, spend your time texting your pals, and ignore what's going on around you.

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  6. I'm offended.
    To those who think that the new dog park should be only for smaller dogs is discrimnation at its finest. I own a 55lb lab mix. He is the sweetest dog you will ever find. Very respectful of all dogs of all sizes. I will be going to this new park. Hopefully, he will change your minds.

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