somerville dog: a weblog

Arlington dog owner and blogger TJIC has some really good advice to those who speak at public meetings:

Tell them what you’re going to tell them, then tell them, then shut up.

For example:

I’m going to speak for 60 seconds. Please cut me off if I go over.

< a few claps, and general good cheer >

I’d like to make three points:

1) I heard a lot earlier about how dogs “were not originally part of the plan”. Well, this area has been inhabited for over 400 years. Harvard was founded over 350 years ago. This place used to be a forest, then a farm, then a dump, then a park. Uses change. People change. Opinions change.

2) The master plan did not use the word “dogs”, true. It used the word “recreation”. However, I note that it also did not use the words “soccer balls”, “Frisbee”, or “tricycle”. People recreate in various ways, and dogs are one of those ways.

3) I live about 30 feet from the park, and I think that dogs there are a great idea.

Thank you for your time.

Posted by Michèle at 12:14 PM
Categories: Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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Am I mistaken, or does the Town of Arlington's Green Dog Pilot Program proposal call for creating "off-leash and fenced dog areas" and restricting usage of the areas to the hours between dawn and 9:00 am for eight months of the year?! Does Arlington really want to cordon off public open space and not let anyone in for twenty-one hours of the day in Spring, Summer and Fall?!

If this seems like a crazy idea, Arlington dog owners, please let Town officials know.

The Town of Arlington is holding a public meeting Wednesday evening, November 28, to introduce the proposal for the Green Dog" pilot program and solicit input from users and neighbors of Menotomy Rocks Park. The meeting will be held in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room in Arlington Town Hall beginning at 7:30.

The meeting Wednesday evening is the third of seven meetings intended for users and neighbors of specific parks in Arlington "where there is already dog walking activity":

1. Thursday, November 8th - Poet’s Corner and Ottoson Woods;
2. Thursday, November 15th - Mt. Gilboa, McClennan Field, Hurd Field and the Reservoir;
3. Wednesday, November 28th - Menotomy Rocks Park;
4. Thursday, December 6th - Robbins Farm;
5. Thursday, December 13th - Waldo Park, Thorndike and Magnolia Fields;
6. Thursday, January 3rd - Spy Pond Park and Spy Pond/Hornblower Field (across from the Arlington Girls and Boys Club);
7. Thursday, January 10th - Hill’s Hill and Turkey Hill.

The "Green Dog" Pilot Program for Arlington, allowing controlled off-leash activity in Arlington, will be refined based on the public input received and will be presented at the next Town Meeting in Spring of '08.

For additional information contact Leslie Mayer at BLMayer@msn.com.

Posted by Michèle at 10:20 PM
Categories: Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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The Somerville Community Growing Center, located on Vinal Avenue adjacent to Nunziato Field, welcomes leashed dogs. Support the Community Growing Center by pre-ordering a hand-decorated wreath for a special price of $25.00!

If you love the smell of pine and misletoe, you can volunteer to help decorate the wreaths.

via e-mail

Please help support the Somerville Community Growing Center this season by participating in our Holiday Wreath Sale…

The Somerville Community Growing Center Holiday Wreath Sale

The Growing Center is pleased to offer fresh evergreen wreaths artistically hand-decorated with dried flowers, berries, pine cones and an attractive bow. Wreaths are $25 each for orders received by November 26 extended! November 29.

Wreaths will be available for pickup at:
Union Square Winter Craft Market on December 1 from 11 am to 4 pm or
Walnut Street Center, 35 Charlestown Street (near Target on Somerville Ave.) on December 3 or December 4 from 5:30 to 9:00 pm

There are three ways to order:
By email: info@thegrowingcenter.org
By telephone: 617-666-2969
By mail: Holiday Wreath Sale c/o Holly Travis, Walnut Street Center, 35 Charlestown Street, Somerville, MA 02143.

Please include with your order: your name, address, telephone, email, preferred pickup location and date, number of wreaths and your choice of bow color (red, burgundy, or purple).
You may include payment with your order or pay at time of pickup. Cash or check accepted. Checks should be made out to Friends of the Community Growing Center.

You must order by November 28 to take advantage of this special pre-market price of $25. A limited number of wreaths will also be available for purchase at the Union Square Winter Craft Market at market price. Orders received after November 28 will be at market price.

All proceeds support the Somerville Community Growing Center and collaborative programs with the Walnut Street Center.

Volunteers needed for Wreath Decorating
The Growing Center is also seeking volunteers to help with hand-decorating the wreaths. Please email the Growing Center at info@thegrowingcenter.org if you can help out. Any time you can spare would help us immensely.
Dates: Thursday November 29, Friday November 30, Monday December 3, Tuesday December 4
Time: 5 pm – 9:30 pm
Location: The Walnut Street Center 35 Charlestown Street Somerville (near Target on Somerville Avenue)

Posted by Michèle at 10:02 PM
Categories: Somerville
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Congratulations Friends of Peters Park on the Grand Opening of the Joe Wex Dog Recreation Space in the South End, Sunday, November 4, 2007.

The Boston Metro ran a story about the grand opening with the clever headline "City unleashes dog park."

Last month, an article in Boston Globe featured architect David Hacin, who designed the off-leash recreational area ("All that's missing are the biscuits").

Have you and your dog visited the Joe Wex Dog Recreation Space? What do you think of the surface?

Posted by Michèle at 7:25 PM
Categories: Destinations, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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Please vote today in the municipal elections for Mayor, the Board of Aldermen and the School Committee.

Check out the responses from the candidates for Mayor and Aldermen to the Somerville Dog Owners Group's questionnaire.

The City of Somerville Election Department allows voters to bring our dogs with us to the polls: dogs must be on leash, remain close to their companions at all times and must not bother other people.

Polls are open 7am to 8pm.

Posted by Michèle at 2:32 PM
Categories: Somerville, Voter Information
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