# Lansing MI Dog Park



## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Ok Lansing dog park frequenters. Here is what my friend said to do to start. Go to the Mayor's website http://mayor.cityoflansingmi.com/, she said to send an email to support the park AS IT IS, not changing it. She said to make sure you note that privately funded money was donated to establish the park, the city approved the site plan years ago, and if a berm was added it would help prevent noise and visual problems to neighbors. 

Let all your area dog friends know about this. Perhaps you can thwart the reduction of the park.


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## marshab1 (Aug 28, 2006)

I'm gonna do this tomorrow,


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## Lego&Jacub (Jul 18, 2006)

sent them an email!!! Let's hope everyone does!!!


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## JensDreamboy (May 25, 2007)

will do, thanks for the info!!


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## JensDreamboy (May 25, 2007)

This info. was taken from a Yahoo group: Greater Lansing Dogs regarding the Lansing dog park...

"Just passing info along. I'm very sorry that I gave my money to this
organization. This doesn't seem like successful mediation at all.
Julie


Thank you for your patience and understanding while we worked through the
mediation process. Representatives from the City, County, Ruth Avenue
neighborhood, and Friends of Greater Lansing Dog Parks signed an agreement to
make modifications and improvements at Soldan Dog Park that will benefit dog
park users and residents along Ruth Avenue.

The decision was made to move the focal point of the park from the south end to
the northwest area. This will be accomplished by

1. using fencing to create an enclosed walkway from the southern Hawk Island
entrance to the western Scott Woods entrance;
2. placing a fence from Ruth Ave at or near the utility access area to the
pond;
3. placing a fence from the enclosed walkway from the Scott Woods entrance to
the pond;
4. moving the small dog enclosure;
5. moving the drinking fountain to an area north of the Scott Woods entrance;
6. placing appropriate protection across the pond to prevent dog access to
the new excluded area that will be safe for dogs entering the pond.


These changes will be put into place soon.

A public meeting has been scheduled for park users and neighbors to view the
plans, ask questions, and provide input. I hope you will join us Monday, May
12th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Safari Room at the Potter Park Zoo. Some of
you will recognize this as the location of the first dog park planning meeting.

Please come with suggestions about where an agility course might be located and
how the north end paths might be configured.


This experience has been a great opportunity for us to further develop our
reputation as good neighbors with all the constituencies involved in
establishing and maintaining more successful dog parks in the greater Lansing
area.


Looking forward to seeing you on Monday the 12th. "


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## Lego&Jacub (Jul 18, 2006)

ug... so does that mean they are cutting it in half??


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

My girlfriend just emailed me this too: (I edited out the phone number and email addresses) The first part is the response to the original email from my friend...

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Sorry Becky but I respectfully disagree that this is a "positive" outcome. A positive compromise would have been to build a berm. Was that even discussed or did the City give an ultimatum?

I do not believe that you are communicating to anyone except those that give you money (and hardly to them at all). However, you are representing all dog park users. Also, you are offering a public meeting after the fact. After you have already agreed to cut the park in half.

I can't support a group that throws away the donations it received so easily.

Good luck with future dog parks.

Julie
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Rebecca Stimson 
Hello Julie,

First I want to thank you for posting my message on the listserv. I 
apologize because I expected it to be posted for me early this 
morning so Soldan Dog Park users would hear about the mediation 
decisions from me, but it wasn't.

The mediation is a good thing for the park because it gave us the 
opportunity to further develop our reputation as good neighbors with 
all the constituencies involved -- city, county, community, and park 
users. It's quite obvious some of the park users are very unhappy 
with the decision. In my leadership role, I decided to resolve on- 
going escalating unpleasantness by using cooperative models instead 
of confrontational ones. That is the way I'd want someone to handle a 
disagreement they had with me, so I followed my instincts to treat 
others the way I would want to be treated.

Please feel free to post this. I believe in real dialogue and 
respectful conversation. That's why I chose mediation instead of 
litigation.

Our organization has to keep the big picture in mind. The position we 
take on issues has long term implications. This isn't just about 
Soldan Dog Park. This is about future dog park development, too. The 
FGLDP mission is to establish and maintain more successful dog parks 
in the greater Lansing area. We're trying to make the best of this 
changing situation, so that we can a better and better job with 
future partners in dog park development.

I will miss the circle walk, too. I'm just glad we have a park. You 
clearly have some experience in advocating. I hope you will bring 
your energy and love for the park to the meeting on May 12th and 
contribute to the positive resolution of this issue.

Becky


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## marshab1 (Aug 28, 2006)

That's not mediation to me either. That's giving the other side everything they want.


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## FranH (May 8, 2005)

The Soldan Dog Park was the best dog park I have ever seen. There was a lot of time and effort in the planning of that park. We (Michigan meetup group) waited patiently for the official opening. You would think the opponents would have contested this park earlier.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Keep voicing your opinion. Unfortunately this sounds very political to me, but let whomever know you are NOT happy. 

They talk about making it smaller but I am wondering how they will do that. I was there once. What if a dog swims across the pond? How are they going to keep dogs from not crossing the fence line? I am thinking about liability there too.


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

They obviously want it to go away... by making it sooo small that's pretty much what will happen. The times I've been there it was already small in relation to the number of patrons and their owners. You try and squeeze that into half its current size and there will be destruction of all vegetation and dog fights and worse... Eventually it will have to be closed. What a shame it has come to this. You can bet if it were a shopping center and the residents were tired of the extra noise and traffic, guess what? it would be too bad, you don't like it? move. You can bet the shopping center wouldn't be asked to accommodate the local residents. Who are these residents of Ruth Ave?... there can't be many of them, its only on one side and the park, after all, its not that big. Must be some pretty influential people living on Ruth Ave.

They are having the same problems with the dog beach in Muskegon. One resident who lives closest to the beach at the end of a dead-end road is a major 'wheel' on the city council and has been trying to get rid of it for the last couple of years. He's got the city to put up fencing, and pile sand so deep on one end that most visitors canNOT access it from that side. He even went on camera to complain about how filthy the beach was by walking the whole beach picking up dog poops... in the end he couldn't even quarter fill his Wal-Mart shopping bag with poops. However Muskegon has people who are fighting to keep the dog beach and so far they've prevailed. Unfortunately to fight money and influence it takes even more money and influence... sigh. Since one third of the population owns dogs, it would seem only fair to me that dogs be allowed on one third of all public lands, parks, beaches, etc. Its tough being in the minority and having all your rights voted away by the majority... its as if we don't even exist.


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