August 29 2010
Dog Park Design Disaster
So over the summer they opened a new dog park not too far from me. I was excited about it because Roscoe’s usual dog park is over a mile away and sometimes I just want a quick fix of dog parking.
Anyway, after I heard it was open I headed down there– and the first thing I noticed was there was no shade. It was the beginning of August midday 140 degrees outside. The new dog park was this big round circle straight under the sun. And all the dogs were in there half-conscious broiling like they were lying in some giant petri dish under a heat lamp. The place was scorching. So right off the bat that wasn’t so hot. Or it was. Or whatever. In any case, you didn’t want to be in the dog park at noon.
Second thing I noticed…
…is that they filled up the dog park with like sharp gravely rocks. Rocks that apparently don’t feel good on dogs paws. Maybe something about them being like all jagged and stabby or something. So for the most part the dogs all walk weird on it like dainty prancy (the same way humans would)– until they get to the concrete ring around the park– and then the dogs just chase either round and round on the concrete. Ignoring the ‘park’ part.
ALSO the rocks are like dyed this reddish color so for double extra bonus all the dogs paws get dyed reddish if the rocks get wet. And the reddness has already stained the concrete benches all around the park gross style for extra annoyance…
Basically, the whole place (as nice as it seems and it was nice to build for us) is pretty much a dog design disaster. There was obviously no (zero!) dog-consultation in the mix! People always complain about how dogs have no jobs and they’re like freeloaders and stuff– and here’s a perfectly good opportunity for them to earn their keep! With dog park design skills!
Maybe we should start expanding dog resumes beyond pulling, leading, smelling, scaring or biting– and into design consultation and city planning so we don’t end up with more dumb dumb dog parks like this one…
(Then again if it was left up to the dogs– they’d probably fill the place with squirrels and chickens and they’rd be steak bones buried everywhere fresh daily. So maybe hiring the dogs isn’t the best idea– but it would be a more friggin exciting dog park!)
Decided to write about it today because I brought Roscoe there this AM and he basically shot me a look as we approached like, ‘Are we seriously going there again? You know that place sucks…’
ok bye!
tOdd
PS. Then again it’s the same park people who burned kids with these here so…
PPS. If you want you pet posted for this Wednesday send in pics and stories if you got em! oddtodd7@hotmail.com
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Try and send something into your local council or however it works over there =P and say that trees and less red staining stones are needed xD
First, blahblahbla suck it weeze, blah blah blaj
Where has that cock sucker Mr. Deng been ?
also i got first pwn
NOT FIRST!!!!!
The designers of this disaster of a dog park should be apprised of the situation. It’s harmful to the dogs and can easily be changed.
That kind of reminds me of how our playground was covered in really, really sharp woodchips at my gradeschool…fun times!
You should protest Todd. You love Roscoe. Other dogs shouldn’t have to put up with that abuse.
Sounds like the dogpark was designed by Dr. Mengele.
That dog-hating Nazi.
Ay! That dog park sucks! Get everyone to post signs everyday outlining aforementioned suckiness.
*sigh*… once again, I question the utter poor decision-making and money-taking on the part of people who are put in charge of crappy park, living and altogether development processes. I agree with Anonymous, and think you (should you have the time and resources) should:
(1) Post signage regarding suckiness;
(2) See if you can’t get other dog owners involved regarding said suckiness;
(3) Bitch to your local congressman or whoever
…There’s obviously so little there at this point, so it’s not too late!
I live in Oak Park, IL, where this sort of shit happens on a regular basis, so I wonder whether or not the same asses wasting our money over here take the teleporter over to your neck of the woods after they’ve had their preschool-style snack of cookies. And meth.
It was probably built by low-level mobsters on work release so if you protest don’t use your real name.
Designed and built by CATS. Mystery solved.
It does look like one big litter box
Colour me behind-the-times, but I thought you were having to give Roscoe up to a home that could give him more time. Did you change your mind?
I can’t believe after the sttel dome disaster someone else would hire them for another park.
I’d give a call into the parks department about that. Dogs like grass. And trees. Not rocks.
We just got a new dog park too. It’s in this super oddly (skinny triangular)shaped, but at least it has shade, a place for owners to sit… and grass. In a place where it rains about twice a year, we at least have grass for the dogs!
Very nice site!
So now we, a grass root group, is going to design a dog park for our community. I want to avoid the mistakes of your local park, but you don’t have many specifics.
1. What was the material that was used as a surface? Was it decomposed granite? Was it chipped concrete? Any clue?
2. How big was this park?
3. Where is this park? It sounds like hell at 140 degrees. Why no trees?
4. Was there any water for the dogs?