Over the course of the coming days, folks who love and use off-leash-areas in Seattle have a chance to communicate their passion and good ideas to the people in charge at Seattle Parks and Recreation [1].
This opportunity [2] is part of Parks and Rec's nearly year-long effort to create an action plan to guide the department during the next five years. Already, they have conducted 57 community meetings to identify major issues, policy questions, strengths, challenges, and opportunities. You can read results so far in a draft plan available online [3].
At the remaining community meetings, Parks staff will elaborate on the plan and solicit feedback on comment cards. Here's your chance to request additional off-leash areas, new water-access sites (what's a swimmer to do?), encourage funding so approved off-leash areas move forward, or pipe up about anything else your dog-loving heart desires.
Come prepared. Read the draft and, if you haven't already, learn more about Seattle's dog parks [4] at the website for Citizens for Off-Leash Areas [5], an all-volunteeer steward and advocacy group.
Here's the schedule for meetings:
Saturday, April 19, 2-4 p.m., at the Delridge Community Center [6] in West Seattle.
Monday, April 21, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Carkeek Park Environmental Learning Center [7]in Ballard/Crown Hill, Hiawatha Community Center [8] in West Seattle, and Garfield Community Center [9] in the Central District.
Tuesday, April 22, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center [10] in the Central District, 7-9 p.m. at the Ballard Community Center [11].
Wednesday, April 23, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Discovery Park Environmental Learning Center [11] in Magnolia and Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center [12] in Ravenna.
And, finally, your last chance, will be Thursday, April 24, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Bitter Lake Community Center [13] in North Seattle and High Point Community Center [14] in West Seattle.
While boots on the ground make the biggest impression, if you really can't attend a meeting, read the report and submit your input online [15]. The free-ranging, prancing pups of the future thank you!
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