Sunday, June 22, 2008
Editorial: A playground for canines
Easy, boy, don't get too excited. A new location for a dog park might be tethered to certain restrictions.
From the RoundTable blog
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Dog park boosters shouldn't have to sit up and beg for an acre of city park -- especially when they're willing to pay to fence the grounds.
NewVa Connects, a group of young professional activists pushing for a city dog park, has more than a third of the $30,000 they thought they needed to fence in part of Fishburn Park. But the Grandin Court Neighborhood Association would rather they didn't: The fence might not look quite right near houses; the chosen location might interfere with other park activities; perhaps, though, a small section could be cordoned off.
Thanks, but no thanks.
Roanoke's dogs and their owners have waited a long time for a place to roam untethered. A mere one-third acre spot hardly offers the romping room they've longed to have.
So, it's a welcome sign that the Old Southwest neighborhood appears willing to embrace the dogs at Highland Park. The neighborhood association seems agreeable to setting aside an acre of the ground. Good.
But here's the rub: The city Architectural Review Board must approve the fence.
Chain-link fences make for good dog parks but not necessarily for good architecture. For a board that deliberates the shadow cast by window glass or whether unseen soffit should run vertical or horizontal, it might prove difficult to get an economical chain-link fence approved -- even a black one that would blend into the landscape.
The ARB has earned a reputation for being sticklers for details in Old Southwest. For good reason, as they wish to aid in restoring the neighborhood and its market values.
ARB members have maintained that they aren't as unyielding as portrayed. They say they willingly work with people and their modest budgets to get the work done and still ensure historical and architectural accuracy.
A dog park fence at Highland Park provides ARB members with an opportunity to demonstrate that spirit of cooperation. If they work this out, they're bound to pick up more than a few loyal friends --and not just of the four-legged variety.
