Ms. Thomas,
How many more times must I write to you complaining about the offleash dogs on the Nethermead Meadow before you address the problem? It has been four months since my last letter describing how dog owners unleash their pets on the Nethermead in Prospect beginning at approximately 5pm (4 hours earlier than the leash rules allow) and, apparently, nothing has been done to end this practice. The latest video I submitted to the website "Committee for Responsible Dog Ownership" (http://credo-ny.blogspot.com) shows at least 12 unleashed dogs in the meadow at approximately 6pm. I told one person that I thought the offleash hours didn't begin until 9pm and she replied that "dog owners have an understanding with Tupper Thomas". If this is true, which it appears to be, you are breaking the law. In addition, I have posted a video of two P.E.P. officers ignoring an unleashed dog near the Nethermead at 4:40pm. I will repeat my complaint as it appears that you haven't gotten the message:
EVERYDAY, AT 5PM IN PROSPECT PARK'S NETHERMEAD MEADOW, DOG OWNERS UNLEASH THEIR DOGS, TAKING OVER THE ENTIRE MEADOW TO THE EXCLUSION OF ALL OTHER PARK USERS.
As I've pointed out in past emails, the dog owners are all Park Slope caucasians and soccer players who are prevented from using the field are African American. Recently, I've noticed High School track teams attempting to workout around the field, but are intimidated by the dogs. These kids are, primarily, African American. If this policy is coming out of your office, it is clearly racist, something that the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation should be sensitive to given the outcome of recent class action lawsuits.
What are you going to do about this situation?
I realize that you are a very busy person, however, I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss some of my observations and ideas for rectifying this problem.
Regards,
She's merely not addressing the problem: she's denied that there is any problem, saying "it's just a few dogs". Of course the problem, or one of the problems, is Tupper Thomas.
1 comment:
Scofflaws drive to Prospect Park from all over to avail themselves of Tupper's sensitivity for their poor little yard-deprived yuppie dogs. On summer evenings while walking my leashed dog around the park perimeter, I've seen dog owners unloading animals from their trucks and walking 2,3 dogs into the Nether Mead park entrance. It's possible, but I seriously doubt they are intent on hand walking the dogs for several miles around the park circle.
I doubt anything will be done to corral the out of control dogs until Tupper loses her sinecure. How is one person allowed to oversee such an important resource as Prospect Park for 10, 20 years? We need an administrator who is responsive to all park constituencies, who does not dismiss people as liars when they tell her things she doesn't want to hear, and can exhibit backbone in the face of the shrill demands of animal rights fanatics and the ridiculous emotional arguments of wailing crybaby dog lovers.
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