During my three years on the RCSC board, a good share of our work sessions were spent on the question of Sun City and a dog park. I won't bore you with the details other than to say, the end product was we bought Duffeeland Dog Park and it is now in our amenity package. As I was leaving the board, several of the folks using the park agreed to form a "club" to help oversee the running of the park. In this weekend addition of the Daily News-Sun there was a front page story with this header: RCSC, dog park club make progress over renovations. The story was brief, but quite good. Two of the club's officers had this to say: "The meeting was a lot of give and take. We did agree on a lot of things, and it should be moving forward." And this: "we feel positive it's a good open communication between all of us." Jim Wellman, assistant general manager, added his thoughts: "The RCSC looks forward to ongoing efforts with Duffeeland Dog Park officers as we strive to improve this dog park for RCSC Cardholder use and enjoyment." I love the positive interchange and the fact they are talking and reporting it to the public; it is exactly how the process should work. Coincidently, I am taking an 8 week collaborative bargaining class through the Sun City Life Long Learning Club and this exchange reads like it is straight from the class's play book. Learning to work together to reach win/win is the best of all worlds and hopefully we will see that kind of positive and engaging style continue as Sun City evolves into its next level.
I hope the improvements include enclosing a place for small dogs. I was disappointed when the wonderful plans fell through for separate dog parks at the Sun Bowl. Too many incidents with large dogs at other dog parks I've been to in the past. Every dog park around here has at least a small area for small dogs. They need the socialization too. I love large dogs and have had several but one bite from them can really hurt a small dog.
I have one who loves to play even though he's almost 9; my other does not like to play which is why I need a dog park. I checked out that Peoria dog park when I was in Sun City last time. It looks good but I still wish I could use a closer neighborhood park.
Thanks for checking Emily. I still don't understand why people with small dogs wouldn't lobby for a section...only makes sense. It wouldn't take much to quarter of a little area of Duffy at the end, its large enough. Must be many small dogs in Sun City that could use it. Guess I'll need to drive out.
My real estate agent told me there was a spirited meeting about the dog park around 2 weeks ago and many of the comments concerned having an area for small dog. If you hear of such a discussion speak up for small dogs. :dog: I'm keeping my paws crossed.
Do you belong to the dog club? I think it was at that general meeting a few weeks ago. I try to ask him.
It was discussed during Long Range Planning to have a dog park in the north and south of Sun City which would have been designed correctly. Duffeyland hadn't been purchased and the intent to purchase by RCSC wasn't disclosed. The north park would have been in the southeast corner of the Marinette project and the south park would be in the northwest corner of the Sun Bowl. Both parks are on hold due to all the problems created by the Duffeyland Park.
