Conversations at the dog park this last week have centered on reaction to the city’s plan to make the land adjacent to the dog park the alternative site for homeless camping (
There is not enough parking at the dog park, so many of us park behind the Holiday Inn and walk through the area that is being proposed as an alternative site for homeless camping. If we fence the dog park off from the alternative site for homeless camping, then we dog park devotees would not be able to use the additional parking behind the Holiday Inn.
I agree with the need for alternative homeless camping. Most of the homeless I encounter in town are respectful. I am fine sharing space with them. Many of them also have dogs. I prefer to continue to be able to use our unofficial parking behind the Holiday Inn and to walk through the homeless camping spot to get to the dog park. I will try to keep my dog from jumping on tent residents and I will expect them to keep their sites clean. I would hope dog park devotees and the homeless using tent camping would converse and share community space. I don’t want to have any fears about walking through this alternative space and I don’t want the homeless to have to take their tents down each day.
We are members of same community; the better solution is for us to respectfully, play and live together.
Susan McGinness
Durango
