There is a rumor that the acre lot at the corner of Wabash & 16th, next to the church, will be a large dog park. Has this area been approved through the city and the community?
As a resident of the 1620 Michigan Ave building, I am disappointed that state and federal money will be spent on a dog park. In our area, we have 3 dog parks within a few blocks of each other. As a dog owner and resident of the South Loop, I feel like we have developed enough space for our dogs.
I’m not sure if the people who want this (ex. South Loop Dog Pac members) live in our building or have a unit that faces West. My concern is that my unit faces West, which would be right next to the park. If a dog park is built, my family and I will have to deal with the constant barking and noise that comes with a dog park. As a new parent , the noise level and the daily disturbance would drive us as well as our newborn crazy. You’re pretty much asking us to leave the South Loop because we’re never going to be able to sit out on our balcony and enjoy our view with peace and quiet. I know you might say that there are hours of operation at the dog park, but who will sit there and make sure the use of the park is not abused? No one. I have a feeling that I will get fed up with the noise and have to call the police to quiet the noise. Also, we would have to endure the smell of dog feces and urine because many owners do not pick up after their dog(s). Knowing this, the feces would attract rodents and make the general area unsanitary.
On top of the noise, this will bring down our property value because who wants to live next to a dog park, listening to dogs barking all the time? As a concerned homeowner in today’s economy, we value our property. If we are looking for our property value to increase, we should invest in general parks and/or playground areas for families. We have more daycare centers in the surrounding blocks of the South Loop than retail space. Parents only have 3 options where their children can go and play. But building an entire acre for a dog park is just plain ridiculous. Many of my neighbors are up in arms about this idea and will petition to stop the development of this dog park.
(Hat tip: MC!)
