Raise the Hammer

As a resident of Dundas for the past 17 yrs I would like to assist you in your decision/platform debates by providing you with some facts re-the recent Warren Park issues. Over 120 LOCAL dundas households signed a petition requesting that the park be made leash-on. The number of dog on dog and, dog on people, attacks have been exponentially growing as people come from all over ( eg cambridge, oakville)to this very small park which is nestled within the HCA, within an ESA. It has been advertised on the internet- and hence the flood of hundreds of cars, their dogs and owners each day! Our motion has also been supported by the HCA and Hamilton Naturalist Club.

To this end both sides of this debate presented to City Council and presented and submitted were a multitude of signed affadavits, letters and plenty of pictures ( which we provided to Council) to prove why this park must be leash on only. The Public Works committee fully supported its closure as a leash free park and Council was unanimous in their vote. All sides of this debate were represented.

Also you may not be aware that a new dog park has been approved this month:
http://www.hamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/39C02170-FD45-45F8-82BA-B448CBF7156C/0/Oct04EDRMS_n94160_v1_6_1b__PW10095.pdf

great points !! What the hell was Danya talking about - has she not lived in Dundas and heard all the arguments on BOTH sides??

I was personally assured by Russ Powers' assistant, who was speaking for Russ Powers, that Warren Park would definitely not be closed until a new, suitable off-leash park was opened in Dundas. Others whom I have talked to were given the same promise. Then, without warning, it was announced that Warren Park would close the end of October, after a motion was brought by Russ Powers. So Mr. Powers has lied to many people, and in fact, has not listened to the tax-paying dog owners who he also represents. We have good reason to be angry and fed up. Also, it needs to be said again, that people should not buy houses next to a dog park if they cannot tolerate being next to a dog park. That seems to be the height of stupidity.

Yep, now that's what smart people do - voting for Danya Scime - a candidate who's only political experience is that she has raised kids and ran a flea market ?

Oh Yeah...I forgot to mention....we have 2 dogs :)

Molly, you're fortunate that your dogs don't need an off leash area to run. Do I really need to spell it out that many dogs do need such a space? And once again, my point is that Russ Powers has lied to many people regarding Warren Park's remaining open until another space can be found. Our elected representative, whomever it is, simply should not be lying to us. Russ Powers has not handled this issue with integrity or honesty. Time for a change. By the way, if you're the person who moved next to Warren Park with such strong feelings against it, I not only call that stupid, but totally self-centered as well, given your actions.

Come on everyone....let's pull together and rally for more dog parks in general. If local people feel this is an issue than who are we to say ( we from hamilton and ancaster etc). As presented to council, over 75% of local warren park people voted against it.

Stand up anyone who votes for putting a dog park in their neighbourhood...come on...stand up. look at what the Delottinville people did when they heard it was a possibility !!

If all your energies were towards a fenced, non-residential area ( with plenty of parking) just think of what could happen.

@ Larry
Yeah, you made your totally contradictory views know on The 'Warren Park-Loved to Death" website. You say you contribute to "zillions" of animal charities, & yet you call others on their support for leash free areas, telling us that we should be 'out there curing poverty & social ills in the GHA', (& not asking for leash free areas.)

Maybe you should devote some of your 'zillion' dollars. (If you give a dollar to each of them, I guess you must be a 'zillionaire'?) to human charities & change in the GHA, & stop telling others what to do with their money ?

Somebody over on that web site tipped their hand in a Nasty comment that was quickly removed. They seem to want all dogs out of any & all public areas, leashed or not!

After reading a couple of your posts there, I concluded that you are probably not a dog owner, you probably see the leash free as a threat to your property values & that's your whole argument. "Me!" When you are questioned, you get sniffy & tell people to support only people related charities, when you claim to be doing the opposite.

I would also like to ask what happened to the 3500 person petition that Warren Park L.F. Supporters claim that they gave to R. Powers to present to City Council & somehow it never got there?

I'd move to a house near a Fenced L.F. in a heartbeat!
If there were so many problems @ Warren Park, why didn't the City do the sensible thing & fence it, instead of closing it? If people are letting dogs go before they enter the L.F., that's a by-law problem & it should have been enforced. Ditto parking & the rest of it. The City did nothing to help the situation, if there ever was one.

That L.F. has been in Warren Park for 23 years -Have you been there that long?

The City needed to address L.F. years ago. The fact that "Too many people, dogs, cars, etc." are presenting a 'problem' speaks to the fact that their are 'customers' out there -more every day, that Want L.F. Does anybody remember supply & demand?

Neighbourhood L.F.s encourage people to walk their dogs to the L.F. It gets all kinds of people of all ages out exercising, & socializing, not just the dogs. Putting L.F. behind 'The Cineplex @ the End of The Universe' as we saw in Ancaster, promotes just more bumper to bumper experience. Out of sight, & out of mind. A good leash free area is made up of area residents, friends, & neighbours & their dogs! It's not like opening a 'Sporting House' on the outskirts of town. We are people, not the dregs. You don't need to hide us!

My dog was a visiting St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog who visited seniors ever week in the Wentworth Lodge in Dundas. We went every week, & covered every part of that facility, including the dementia ward. He made people happy, & listened to their stories about their own dogs. (Some people ought to act more like a dog, & Visit their parents & grandparents!) To make a long story short, this dog was unwelcome on a leash with his owners & pooper scooper bags @ the ready in our Own #$%^&*!! local park because of a vocal minority who simple didn't want dogs near them & felt 'ownership' of public property!! His behaviour & ours was always exemplary, but that didn't matter to them.

Dog ownership crosses all demographics. Race, religion, language, economic, age, gender, & sexual orientation. We are not a 'special interest group'! We do not become less that human, taxpayers, & voters because we have a dog!

Sorry to destroy your theory "City Joe"....I have 2 dogs ( rescue) and 1 cat....and I've lived here for 17 years !!

The park is misplaced - within an ESA, HCA etc...but you will never listen, and truly - it doesn't matter.... The park IS closed as of Nov 1 st

:)

You didn't 'destroy' my theory, but you did confirm mine. You are attempting to inject a bit of logic & reasonableness into your arguments by appropriating what others have said.

Last time I checked 23 beats 17 years.

The Park is closed as of Nov.1st.

Closed to what ends? (it might make a nice backdrop for a B.& B., soccer park, or something like that..? ; ) It's o.k. for Humans to wreck the place, I guess?

In the mean time, there are fewer L.F.s in the area. ...Good Thinking. :{

Funny how there are Only 2 of you people flogging the same dead horse & trying to discredit a candidate. One might almost think that the horse isn't really dead, & one might wonder why the 2 of you are carrying on the way you are.

Oh City joe...we do this because wrongs need to be righted. for eg - there IS a new dog park - you should all be shouting in joy, but alas, you will never because you didn't get your way.

http://www.hamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/39C02170-FD45-45F8-82BA-B448CBF7156C/0/Oct04EDRMS_n94160_v1_6_1b__PW10095.pdf

Wrong again! I'm happy that it's there. (in the same way that I'm happy that any progress has been made at all.)

I expect that you are Happy that it's THERE -near Wentworth & Barton, & not in Dundas.

You sure got your way though!
(Why do you keep pushing the none-fact that I'm in this for Warren Park L.F. exclusively? I Don't like the way W.P.L.F. was handled or mishandled for the last few years. I don't like what took place in my own area as far a L.F. was concerned. (same thing -No Consultation)

Before you start doing a happy dance about the new L.F., don't you think that the people who will be using it should have a chance to evaluate it? (Or should they be consulted at all, in your opinion?)

John Deer and Molly

There have been incidents of dog fight, biting.. really, where are the stats on that..

Molly, I would like to see a property line assessment done on your property and others opposing this leash free park that existed before you landed... and see if your fence line crouches on Conservation property...

The trolls are out. trying to lay claim to public property and water access..

Dellotinville Park is not the answer..and I doubt this park causes your property value to go down.. you knew it was there when you moved in..

Typical the voice of few who have the time too take away a time for joy for people and their pets happening again..

Who knows who, and how did you get this closed Nov 1.... without public input..

I will encourage a public assessment of your property lines...