[BCNnet] IBET: Stop Dogs on Montrose Beach
Birdchris@aol.com
Birdchris@aol.com
Mon, 6 May 2002 23:37:59 EDT
ACTION ALERT
Chicago Park District is Reviewing Dog Proposal for Montrose Beach
Citizen Input is Needed Immediately to Keep Montrose Dog-free
Chicago Park District Superintendent, David Doig, is presently reviewing a
proposal to make half of Montrose Beach into an official dog beach during
evening hours in the summer and at all hours in the winter. Part of the
proposal as it stands now includes a permanent fence that will be erected at
the Montrose boathouse to keep dogs off the eastern half of the beach. The
rest of the beach will be open to dog use in the evenings (the exact times
have not apparently been determined).
Your help is needed immediately to keep all of Montrose Beach dog-free from
April to November for shorebird use. Calls are needed urgently to stop the
proposal for dog-beach designation at Montrose. If you don't use your voice
now, you'll regret it later!
Montrose Beach is the only beach on Chicago's north side that is used
consistently by shorebirds to rest and feed during migration. The Bird
Conservation Network and Chicago Ornithological Society have collected much
data that supports keeping ALL of Montrose Beach dog-free, including letters
from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Illinois Department of Natural
Resources, Manomet Bird Observatory and from ornithologists at the Field
Museum.
MONDOG - the Montrose dog owners group - has been lobbying 46th Ward
Alderman, Helen Shiller, hard enough to make her waiver on the issue on dogs
on the beach. She had been opposed. If the Alderman opposes the proposal, it
dies, according to the dog beach ordinance.
What You Can do: Send Four Emails or Make Four Phone Calls
1. It is very important that birders who live in the 46th Ward call their
Alderman to express their opposition to dogs at Montrose Beach and to ask her
to oppose the proposal. Birders living outside the ward also should call or
send email and let Alderman Shiller know that you, an eco-tourist, use
Montrose Beach all the time and are in opposition to dogs on the beach.
Alderman Shiller's office phone number is 773/878-4646. You may also send
email to ward46@cityofchicago.org.
2. Alderman Mary Ann Smith also has a tiny portion of Montrose Beach in her
ward, when the water is low. Send email to Alderman Smith and express your
opposition to dogs on the beach to msmith@cityofchicago.com.
3. Call or send email to Superintendent David Doig at the Park District at
312/742/PLAY, then use the dial-by-name feature). Tell Superintendent Doig
that as a loyal and active park user, you do not support making Montrose a
dog beach. Email for the Superintendent can be sent via
http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com. Go to "Contact Us" when you're at the web
site.
4. Call or email Mayor Richard Daley who considers himself a birder and who
recently told COS members that he does not support dogs in natural areas in
Chicago parks. The Mayor has the ultimate say-so. If he tells Superintendent
Doig to nix the dog-beach proposal, it will die. Mayor Daley can be reached
at 312/744-3334 or at MayorDaley@cityofchicago.org.
The Message Again
It's simple: Tell the Aldermen, the Mayor and the Parks Superintendent that
dogs should not be allowed on Montrose Beach at all during migration (April
through November). Montrose is the only beach on the north side of Chicago
that offers important rest and feeding areas for shorebirds during migration,
and could become a better bird habitat if it weren't for dogs that chase
shorebirds and gulls.
If you have questions, please send email to conservation@chicagobirder.org,
COS's web site.
Thanks for being an bird conservationist!
Sample Email or Phone Script
Here is a sample email that you can adapt to use for each Alderman, the Mayor
and the Parks Superintendent. Be sure to put some of the message into your
own words. Explain why Montrose Beach is so important to you as a birder who
cares about the protection of shorebirds.
Dear Alderman Shiller:
I understand that the Chicago Park District is awaiting your opinion on
whether to open any or all of Montrose Beach for part-time dog recreation.
Please oppose this action.
Montrose Beach is the only beach on the north side of Chicago that offers
valuable habitat for wildbirds. It's east-west orientation and its size make
it an important stopping point for migrating shorebirds passing over Chicago.
The waterline of the entire of the beach is used by the shorebirds,
especially at dawn and dusk.
Every other beach on the north side of Chicago is essentially useless to
wildbirds. Any one of those beaches could be designated dog-friendly without
causing further destroying wildbird habitat.
I urge you to oppose DFA-status for any portion of Montrose Beach.
Regards,
YOUR NAME
ACTION ALERT
Chicago Park District is Reviewing Dog Proposal for Montrose Beach
Citizen Input is Needed Immediately to Keep Montrose Dog-free
Chicago Park District Superintendent, David Doig, is presently reviewing a
proposal to make half of Montrose Beach into an official dog beach during
evening hours in the summer and at all hours in the winter. Part of the
proposal as it stands now includes a permanent fence that will be erected at
the Montrose boathouse to keep dogs off the eastern half of the beach. The
rest of the beach will be open to dog use in the evenings (the exact times
have not apparently been determined).
Your help is needed immediately to keep all of Montrose Beach dog-free from
April to November for shorebird use. Calls are needed urgently to stop the
proposal for dog-beach designation at Montrose. If you don't use your voice
now, you'll regret it later!
Montrose Beach is the only beach on Chicago's north side that is used
consistently by shorebirds to rest and feed during migration. The Bird
Conservation Network and Chicago Ornithological Society have collected much
data that supports keeping ALL of Montrose Beach dog-free, including letters
from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Illinois Department of Natural
Resources, Manomet Bird Observatory and from ornithologists at the Field
Museum.
MONDOG - the Montrose dog owners group - has been lobbying 46th Ward
Alderman, Helen Shiller, hard enough to make her waiver on the issue on dogs
on the beach. She had been opposed. If the Alderman opposes the proposal, it
dies, according to the dog beach ordinance.
What You Can do: Send Four Emails or Make Four Phone Calls
1. It is very important that birders who live in the 46th Ward call their
Alderman to express their opposition to dogs at Montrose Beach and to ask her
to oppose the proposal. Birders living outside the ward also should call or
send email and let Alderman Shiller know that you, an eco-tourist, use
Montrose Beach all the time and are in opposition to dogs on the beach.
Alderman Shiller's office phone number is 773/878-4646. You may also send
email to ward46@cityofchicago.org.
2. Alderman Mary Ann Smith also has a tiny portion of Montrose Beach in her
ward, when the water is low. Send email to Alderman Smith and express your
opposition to dogs on the beach to msmith@cityofchicago.com.
3. Call or send email to Superintendent David Doig at the Park District at
312/742/PLAY, then use the dial-by-name feature). Tell Superintendent Doig
that as a loyal and active park user, you do not support making Montrose a
dog beach. Email for the Superintendent can be sent via
http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com. Go to "Contact Us" when you're at the web
site.
4. Call or email Mayor Richard Daley who considers himself a birder and who
recently told COS members that he does not support dogs in natural areas in
Chicago parks. The Mayor has the ultimate say-so. If he tells Superintendent
Doig to nix the dog-beach proposal, it will die. Mayor Daley can be reached
at 312/744-3334 or at MayorDaley@cityofchicago.org.
The Message Again
It's simple: Tell the Aldermen, the Mayor and the Parks Superintendent that
dogs should not be allowed on Montrose Beach at all during migration (April
through November). Montrose is the only beach on the north side of Chicago
that offers important rest and feeding areas for shorebirds during migration,
and could become a better bird habitat if it weren't for dogs that chase
shorebirds and gulls.
If you have questions, please send email to conservation@chicagobirder.org,
COS's web site.
Thanks for being an bird conservationist!
Sample Email or Phone Script
Here is a sample email that you can adapt to use for each Alderman, the Mayor
and the Parks Superintendent. Be sure to put some of the message into your
own words. Explain why Montrose Beach is so important to you as a birder who
cares about the protection of shorebirds.
Dear Alderman Shiller:
I understand that the Chicago Park District is awaiting your opinion on
whether to open any or all of Montrose Beach for part-time dog recreation.
Please oppose this action.
Montrose Beach is the only beach on the north side of Chicago that offers
valuable habitat for wildbirds. It's east-west orientation and its size make
it an important stopping point for migrating shorebirds passing over Chicago.
The waterline of the entire of the beach is used by the shorebirds,
especially at dawn and dusk.
Every other beach on the north side of Chicago is essentially useless to
wildbirds. Any one of those beaches could be designated dog-friendly without
causing further destroying wildbird habitat.
I urge you to oppose DFA-status for any portion of Montrose Beach.
Regards,
YOUR NAME