Have you seen those Ray Nagin keychains from New Orleans? They're blue, have six white buttons, and on the front it says "Da Mayor in your pocket." If you push one of the buttons, Nagin says "YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN' ME!"
I called SHARON at the city office today and she was really helpful. She said that we needed to get the mayor in our pocket. She suggested WE (a diverse group of us-young, old, black, white, boy, girl, 71104, 71101, 71105, 71111, 71111, pure breds and mutts, etc) get together and have one mighty presentation for the mayor. We should "sell" the dog park. Explain How and Who this park will benefit. We should have visual tools, such as photos and video footage of other parks across the country, testimonials, and a sample plan of what we envision the first one in Shreveport. Have the answers ready for the negative questions with terms that may include "Vicious Dogs" and "Liability." And we should know that "things don't happen overnight," and that it could take a year or more to get our dog park happenin'.
YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN' ME!
So, WHO IS COMING TO THE PRESENTATION?
LET'S FIX THE BIGGEST GODDAM CRISIS IN THE HISTORY OF THIS... COUNTRY
5 comments:
In March of 07 I did a post on the most walkable city in America, Madison, Wisconsin. That city has four off leash dog parks.
I'd be willing to do a report/presentation on how it's better for our population/economy if we move from building recreational places to sit (in city parks) to recreational places to move. It's timely because the projections are that 75% of Americans are expected to be obese by 2015.
Besides more "movement" options will lead to a brain gain in our city. Meeting potential hot dates at the supermarket will be replaced by meeting a hottie at the dog park.
Hotties in the dog park!!
Thank you, Kathryn. That will be your area of our presentation. Kathryn B is covering the other benefits of a dog park, esp. that of training, education (for humans), spay/neuter, and obedience classes.
Anyone else? Bueller? Bueller?
I think the mayor is interested, he stated he had never been to a dog park and would be willing to check one out when in Austin. He says he's there a lot.
When I mentioned a comment that was written after the initial article in the Times, that stated maybe other cities can do it, but not Shreveport...I got his attention. What makes us so different and unworthy? He stated he doesn't pay attention to these types of comments anyway.
He asked how much land we were wanting and was surprised when I said we only needed an acre or two. That's not too much to ask...is it?
Let's not let this sleeping dog lie.
JuJu, another person you might want to get involved is Janet Creech, if she's not already. Contact me if you can't contact her.
Thanks Noma! Will do
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