[BCNnet] fencing FP areas; questions and important article
Rbdoeker@aol.com
Rbdoeker@aol.com
Sat, 8 Nov 2003 20:51:38 EST
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(1)
Golf
Horse Riding
Tennis
Swimming Pools
Model Airplanes
and even Picnic Areas...............just some of the dedicated uses that have
long existed on FP land. A dog area is no different. And all activities
are readily available to any citizen who wants to follow the rules designated
for the specific area.
(As I mentioned earlier, this differs from the private use of some FP land by
the Boy Scouts since the only people allowed were those the Scouts approved.
The commissioners did stop this but just this year.)
Thus, the concerns about precedents being set may not be understood by any
commissioners. That train left the station before most of us were born.
(2) Please consider that no person ran for office to be a commissioner of
the Cook County Forest Preserve. It's just something they have to do. And the
only commissioner who really cares about the environment is Quigley -- the
same one quoted in the Pioneer article encourging the Thatcher Dog group. There
are a handful of others considered to be 'good' by the Sierra Club but even
those commissioners cast what they call pragmatic votes -- like building a
parking lot on FP land for the new Jewish museum in Skokie.
And to make things even more special, the commissioner for the Thatcher Woods
area is a full time politician -- his day job is to be village president of
nearby Elmwood Park.
Hey - I don't like dogs in FP either. (I'm already trying to figure out how
to get them out of City nature areas.) But not one commissioner is going to
vote against a dog area just on principle.
Thus, it is my opinion that our best bet is to work with the FP staff to make
sure they know where the important bird areas in Thatcher Woods are. The
superintendent of the FP is new. The volunteer land stewards seem very happy with
the way he is reacting to the longtime problems. I think he and his staff
will be receptive to our input but we first need to get some from the people who
know Thatcher Woods best.
Randi Doeker
Chicago
In a message dated 11/8/2003 5:55:04 PM Central Standard Time,
WJMarcisz@aol.com writes:
I think that Alan A & Judy M make very valid & important points.
Randi, you said "the train has already left the station."
Has it really? That is, has this issue already been voted on and passed?
If not, maybe it is too early to accept the Thatcher dog park as inevitable.
I can't help but think of this as a dangerous, precedent-setting land-grab by
a special interest group.
Walter Marcisz, Chicago, Cook Co.
WJMarcisz@aol.com
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<DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(1) </DIV>
<DIV>Golf</DIV>
<DIV>Horse Riding</DIV>
<DIV>Tennis</DIV>
<DIV>Swimming Pools</DIV>
<DIV>Model Airplanes</DIV>
<DIV>and even Picnic Areas...............just some of the dedicated uses tha=
t have long existed on FP land. A dog area is no different. =
; And all activities are readily available to any citizen who wan=
ts to follow the rules designated for the specific area. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(As I mentioned earlier, this differs from the private use of some FP l=
and by the Boy Scouts since the only people allowed were those the Scouts ap=
proved. The commissioners did stop this but just this year.)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Thus, the concerns about precedents being set may not be understood by=20=
any commissioners. That train left the station before most of us were=20=
born.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(2) Please consider that no person ran for office to be a commiss=
ioner of the Cook County Forest Preserve. It's just somethin=
g they have to do. And the only commissioner who really cares about th=
e environment is Quigley -- the same one quoted in the Pioneer article encou=
rging the Thatcher Dog group. There are a handful of others cons=
idered to be 'good' by the Sierra Club but even those commissioners cast wha=
t they call pragmatic votes -- like building a parking lot on FP land for th=
e new Jewish museum in Skokie.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>And to make things even more special, the commissioner for the Thatcher=
Woods area is a full time politician -- his day job is to be village p=
resident of nearby Elmwood Park. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Hey - I don't like dogs in FP either. (I'm already trying to=
figure out how to get them out of City nature areas.) But not one com=
missioner is going to vote against a dog area just on principle.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Thus, it is my opinion that our best bet is to work with the FP staff t=
o make sure they know where the important bird areas in Thatcher Woods are.&=
nbsp; The superintendent of the FP is new. The volunteer land stewards seem=20=
very happy with the way he is reacting to the longtime problems. I thi=
nk he and his staff will be receptive to our input but we first need to get=20=
some from the people who know Thatcher Woods best.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Randi Doeker</DIV>
<DIV>Chicago</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 11/8/2003 5:55:04 PM Central Standard Time, WJMarcis=
z@aol.com writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue=20=
2px solid"><FONT face=3Darial,helvetica><FONT size=3D2>I think that Alan A &=
amp; Judy M make very valid & important points. <BR>Randi, you said "the=
train has already left the station." <BR>Has it really? That is, has this i=
ssue already been voted on and passed? <BR>If not, maybe it is too early to=20=
accept the Thatcher dog park as inevitable. <BR>I can't help but think of th=
is as a dangerous, precedent-setting land-grab by a special interest group.=20=
<BR><BR>Walter Marcisz, Chicago, Cook Co. <BR>WJMarcisz@aol.com </FONT></FON=
T></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
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