Concord citizens deserve better
I recently attended a Parks and Rec Advisory Committee meting in April where a host of proposals for Rollins Park were discussed, among them dog waste stations and a community message board. The committee had many questions and concerns for those of us supporting the additional amenities and did not seem supportive of the proposals, although it remains to be seen what will actually happen with the requests.
The committee’s rebuttals included concerns of excessive cost of maintaining public trash cans, renters who might dump waste, potential vandalism of public message boards, and dog owners who would be unwilling to use provided bags. Park users shared personal stories and research about neighborhood concerns with dogs waste and the health risks of it being left on the ground, as well as statistics on the improved mental health of connected communities which could be facilitated through a public message board.
I understand that due to issues in the federal and state governments which are trickling down to our municipal government, we are in times of economic strife. However, our city is still spending money on watering sports fields, cutting down mass amounts of healthy trees, and collecting park rental fees from neighborhood citizens using the park for community events. There is no deficit in the Parks and Rec budget. Is a $500 message board really the issue here or is it a lack of willingness on the part of the city government to listen to the public and our needs?