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Bobby Green <br /> City Council <br /> City Hall <br /> 777 Pearl <br /> Eugene, Oregon 97401 2 -4 -92 <br /> Dear Councilman Green, <br /> • <br /> I am a neighbor of Morse Ranch park and have been for a number <br /> of years before it was opened for an off leash dog park. For <br /> years I walked and jogged in the park almost every day. Except in <br /> the summer when there was the day camp it was unusual to see <br /> anyone else in the lower field or the woods. Much of the year the <br /> field was a swamp and the grass grew up to your waist before it <br /> dried enough to cut it. I always thought it was the most <br /> wonderful and least known park in the city. It was nice to have <br /> my own park. Now that you have introduced the off leash program <br /> more of the citizens of the town are using the park. This is not <br /> right. It's not that we really have anything against dogs per se. <br /> The truth is that our complaint is about people using the park. <br /> We would be equally against touch football games, or rugby, or <br /> mud wrestling, Frisbee football or anything else that frequently <br /> brought any number of people or cars to spoil the scenery and <br /> unused nature of the Morse Ranch Park. We wouldn't mind having <br /> the horses, goats, or cows messing up the grass and making muck <br /> the way it was when Senator Morse lived there because they look <br /> more picturesque than people and dogs having fun. We liked it <br /> the way it was when it was our own private (publicly maintained <br /> thank goodness) and unused landscape. Our complaints, except for <br /> our exaggerations about the horror of dog doo, would generally be <br /> the same. The environment is being destroyed, traffic is <br /> dangerous, the stream is being ruined. The dog issue is just a <br /> more effective way to politically get what we want. We know that <br /> issues like dog doo, environment etc. will get much better <br /> attention. I do believe that you needed to know what our real <br /> issues are so that you can make sure we get our private park <br /> back. I assure you that we will rarely ever use it. This park was <br /> never meant to be used in a way that didn't satisfy our needs. <br /> Some of us even bought our houses counting on the idea that the <br /> park would stay empty. These people and dogs will reduce some of <br /> our property values and it is your job to be sure that doesn't <br /> happen. END OF SATIRE. <br /> I hope you got a chuckle out of my painfully honest letter. I <br /> so dislike when people use "politically correct" words to get <br /> what they want rather than really being open about their issues. <br /> I believe the dog park use is a wonderful utilization of the <br /> Morse Park. One of the few good options. Sure there is some wear <br /> and tear but nothing that will not naturally repair throughout <br /> the seasons. The park naturally goes through vast changes <br /> throughout the season as a result of it's swamp nature. The so <br /> called stream has never been more than a drainage ditch. It has <br /> always had potential to be made into something nicer. Wouldn't a <br />