Constitution Green

[nite owℓ]

People currently use the Greenwood Urban Wetlands as an unofficial dog park even though it's a neighborhood park. I've encountered so many dogs off leash there ranging from cute little friendly dogs to a pit bull mix. Ironically enough it wasn't a big scary breed that attacked my dog - the poor thing got jumped by two little pugs dressed up wearing dog sweaters.

I'd rather see Constitution Green dedicated as an official dog park - even though dog runs are eyesores (especially if your new brownstone faces the park). A dog park would help bring some life to that area as a whole. The section of Jackson St along the park could be modified to provide plenty of on street parking for visitors.

[John Hargrove]

5 hours ago, nite owℓ said:

... the poor thing got jumped by two little pugs dressed up wearing dog sweaters. 

Couple of these little gangsters?

 

[jgardnerucf]

7 hours ago, nite owℓ said:

I'd rather see Constitution Green dedicated as an official dog park - even though dog runs are eyesores (especially if your new brownstone faces the park). A dog park would help bring some life to that area as a whole. The section of Jackson St along the park could be modified to provide plenty of on street parking for visitors.

I would like to disagree with you here. With fencing, gates, and destroyed st.augustine and your suggested encroached parking on Jackson, it would be a complete eyesore. Plenty of life over there, add some benches and plenty of people across the street (OCSC, WFTV, OC Operations) would love to eat their lunch there. Or walk their dog for that matter, without an unsightly view of fencing. Simply put, it isn't the right spot for it. Go to Fleet, Park of Amer, or DP.

The trees are the space. The trees are the center of attention. The majestic oak is the icon of the park.  NOT, fido's playground. What a joke this is even being talked about for here.

[AndyPok1]

I don't have a dog in the fight, (see what I did there)... but urban areas with high rise apartments are the place where a dog park is needed the most.  You can easily dedicate 1/8th or 1/10th of the area on the corner of Jackson and Summerlin (entirely away from the oak) to a small off-leash dog area and the area still look amazing with a few paths passing through.

[nite owℓ]

3 hours ago, jgardnerucf said:

I would like to disagree with you here. With fencing, gates, and destroyed st.augustine and your suggested encroached parking on Jackson, it would be a complete eyesore. Plenty of life over there, add some benches and plenty of people across the street (OCSC, WFTV, OC Operations) would love to eat their lunch there. Or walk their dog for that matter, without an unsightly view of fencing. Simply put, it isn't the right spot for it. Go to Fleet, Park of Amer, or DP.

The trees are the space. The trees are the center of attention. The majestic oak is the icon of the park.  NOT, fido's playground. What a joke this is even being talked about for here.

 

True, I was surprised the Mayor even suggested this, but I'm open to the idea. I wasn't advocating turning the entire property to the dog run, just a small undesirable portion possibly along Summerlin & South St. "Plenty of life"... where?? CG is one of the most underutilized parks downtown. I lived on Summerlin and would pass by the park at all times of the day and rarely saw anyone there. That area is totally dead, but pet owners would help bring some energy to the park. There has to be a draw/incentive to lure people away from Lake Eola and a dog park would help with that. However, it must cater to both people and dogs. Regarding encroached parking; people have been parking on Jackson St along the residential side for years now. With the new brownstones coming, maybe they could shift the parking spaces parkside. There's a way to make it work without desecrating the oak trees and maintain a conservative aesthetic (i.e. use decorative fencing instead of chain link, maintain the grass/mulch, install buffer vegetation/shrubs/ornamental trees, etc).

 

[JFW657]

I don't think that park is big enough to accommodate both a dog park and a human park. The sections of CG being discussed here as a possibility would be so small, they would be pretty useless as a dog run. Not to mention unsightly. And I really don't think that dogs and people who aren't looking to be around dogs, would mix that well in such close quarters. Aside from only attracting dog owners, a dog park would probably do more to repel others than it would to attract them. 

Besides, there are other ways to attract people. Put some facilities in where people could picnic, or maybe local musicians could give acoustic concerts, maybe put on performances, theater in the park, a Frisbee field, a small putting green, etc, etc.

IMO, putting a dog park in there would just be a colossally bad idea.

 

 

 

 

[AndyPok1]

I finally figured out what I was thinking of... Fulton River Park in Chicago.  http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/Park-No-551/#evk83tynka

You can have basically the same design, except the whole left side of the park is dominated by the oak.  And it would work perfectly, because Constitution Green is actually a bit bigger than that park (60000 sqft vs 90000) and we don't have the need for the playground. 

[mcn11]

People currently use the Greenwood Urban Wetlands as an unofficial dog park even though it's a neighborhood park. I've encountered so many dogs off leash there ranging from cute little friendly dogs to a pit bull mix. Ironically enough it wasn't a big scary breed that attacked my dog - the poor thing got jumped by two little pugs dressed up wearing dog sweaters.

I'd rather see Constitution Green dedicated as an official dog park - even though dog runs are eyesores (especially if your new brownstone faces the park). A dog park would help bring some life to that area as a whole. The section of Jackson St along the park could be modified to provide plenty of on street parking for visitors.

I may or may not use greenwood urban wetlands as an unofficial dog park.

[alex]

I think if you're keeping a dog in an apartment for most of its life, you should make the effort to drive five minutes to the big dog park.

I'm not saying there shouldn't be any dogs at Constitution Green, but there's just not enough space to build a worthwhile off-leash area. (I also think a playground or exercise equipment would be out of place.) In addition to the official dog park, there's also Greenwood, Delaney, and Lake Highland close by where you cold get away with your dog being off-leash. 

Like others have said, Constitution Green should be a Savannah-style park where the tree is the focus--especially since that's what saved the park--with nice sidewalks, benches, and maybe a few picnic tables.

[prahaboheme]

34 minutes ago, alex said:

Like others have said, Constitution Green should be a Savannah-style park where the tree is the focus--especially since that's what saved the park--with nice sidewalks, benches, and maybe a few picnic tables.

I was personally thinking of something like Chippewa Square:  https://goo.gl/maps/oKw7fvvM2mB2

Perhaps we could even get a monument to a local historic figure -- a Zora Neale Hurston or Kerouac statue to celebrate local literary achievements?

Edited January 28, 2016 by prahaboheme

[jgardnerucf]

17 hours ago, JFW657 said:

IMO, putting a dog park in there would just be a colossally bad idea.

Preach!

Just take yappy to Fleet Peeples, gosh.

[metal93]

I'm in "no dog park" group for Constitution Green, but a place for an off-leash park that I've been thinking about for a while is that sliver of land between Capital Plaza II and the Waverly. While it is a narrow space (about 60x280ft) the benefit here is that it is close to Lake Eola for those who wish to let their dog off the leash for a bit. Just put up (aesthetic) fences and some benches, and that's it. It's an odd piece of land too large to be an alley but too small to build something on it, so it might as well be something instead of a empty plot of grass. All I see it being used as is a cut-through to Lake Eola but there's no reason people can't simply walk through the Capital Plaza.

Addition: I don't go to the Lake Eola area often but looking at Google streetview there is already a pet waste disposable station, and go figure, there is somebody walking their dog through there when  viewing from the Pine St. side.

Edited January 31, 2016 by metal93
Addition

[Universe_Explorer]

20 hours ago, metal93 said:

I'm in "no dog park" group for Constitution Green, but a place for an off-leash park that I've been thinking about for a while is that sliver of land between Capital Plaza II and the Waverly. While it is a narrow space (about 60x280ft) the benefit here is that it is close to Lake Eola for those who wish to let their dog off the leash for a bit. Just put up (aesthetic) fences and some benches, and that's it. It's an odd piece of land too large to be an alley but too small to build something on it, so it might as well be something instead of a empty plot of grass. All I see it being used as is a cut-through to Lake Eola but there's no reason people can't simply walk through the Capital Plaza.

Addition: I don't go to the Lake Eola area often but looking at Google streetview there is already a pet waste disposable station, and go figure, there is somebody walking their dog through there when  viewing from the Pine St. side.

This! However, I assume that's privately owned land.  That patch of grass is already a turd mine-field, and so many people use Lake Eola as a focal point for their walks - plus it's right in the hear of where a ton of new apts are opening.  I absolutely believe an off-leash dog park would be a huge hit downtown (Fleet's is nice, but the whole point is for the apartment-dwelling dog owners to have a place they can walk to).  Constitution Green may not be the best place for it, but it is a need.  And I don't even own a dog!

[JFW657]

There are some interesting looking places over near Anderson and Delaney near the 408 that look like they could be easily converted to that purpose without causing inconvenience to anyone else.

Maybe here...

Or maybe down along this spot...

 

[JFW657]

There are some interesting looking places over near Anderson and Delaney near the 408 that look like they could be easily converted to that purpose without causing inconvenience to anyone else.

Maybe here...

Or maybe down along this spot...

Lots of room over by OUC too...

 

[JFW657]

This new forum software just sucks.

 

[HankStrong]

1 minute ago, JFW657 said:

This new forum software just sucks.

 

Hahahaha... I said that in one post and POOOOOOOOOF it disappeared.

I hate it.

[JFW657]

1 hour ago, HankStrong said:

Hahahaha... I said that in one post and POOOOOOOOOF it disappeared.

I hate it.

I had never had any real problem with it before my above two posts with the pics. Tried to create a new post with just the one new pic and it duplicated the previous post. Then, when I tried to edit out the two duplicate pics, it wouldn't let me. 

Strange.

Re: the dog park, here's a decent looking spot on N. Magnolia next to the Urban Trail...

[AndyPok1]

I never thought I'd be in a position to defend dogs... but I'm not sure why you are only looking to toss it on somewhat remote scraps of land.  The area next to Waverly makes complete sense.  But the other ones?

On Magnolia next to the Urban trail pretty much only helps the people uptown, most people aren't going to walk their dog over a mile from the high rise apartment/condos across Colonial to take them to a dog park.  The super tiny strip of land behind The Grande, I'm not even sure how you'd access.  The OUC one is probably the most reasonable, but still not great since the closest housing is 55 West which is still a half mile walk away.

I mean this in the most respectful way possible, but it comes across as if there are some sort of biases against it for whatever reason, so you want to hide it off somewhere.  If you do that, you might as well not waste the time, because people will just go to Park of the Americas or Baldwin because it is just as convenient for them to drive there rather than having to walk crossing numerous busy streets.

And at this point, this topic should probably be moved into its own thread.  Mods?

[JFW657]

2 hours ago, AndyPok1 said:

I never thought I'd be in a position to defend dogs... but I'm not sure why you are only looking to toss it on somewhat remote scraps of land.  The area next to Waverly makes complete sense.  But the other ones?

On Magnolia next to the Urban trail pretty much only helps the people uptown, most people aren't going to walk their dog over a mile from the high rise apartment/condos across Colonial to take them to a dog park.  The super tiny strip of land behind The Grande, I'm not even sure how you'd access.  The OUC one is probably the most reasonable, but still not great since the closest housing is 55 West which is still a half mile walk away.

I mean this in the most respectful way possible, but it comes across as if there are some sort of biases against it for whatever reason, so you want to hide it off somewhere.  If you do that, you might as well not waste the time, because people will just go to Park of the Americas or Baldwin because it is just as convenient for them to drive there rather than having to walk crossing numerous busy streets.

And at this point, this topic should probably be moved into its own thread.  Mods?

Well, you do know that no matter where you put one, some people somewhere are going to have to drive to get there, right? Unless you want dog parks all over downtown so that nobody will have to drive to any of them.

What about the people who live uptown? Are they not equally deserving of a dog park they can walk to? 

I just don't think that unleashed dogs running loose and humans who are strangers to them, all cramped together in a congested area like a strip between a residential and a commercial building right across from the busiest park in town, is a very sound plan.

Plus, it's private property. The places I suggested are all publicly owned.

I don't think putting it in that strip by Lake Eola makes sense at all.

Respectfully.

EDIT: Why not have one on N. Magnolia next to the trail and another one on the OUC property?

 

 

[RedStar25]

On 1/28/2016 at 5:53 PM, jgardnerucf said:

Preach!

Just take yappy to Fleet Peeples, gosh.

We do not speak of him... he has been vanquished. 

Orlando is one of the most dog friendly cities in the country, yet we have no dog park downtown. I think a dog park would be a great 

[AndyPok1]

To be clear, I think that the spot on Magnolia is a good idea.  It just doesn't solve the need for one in downtown proper.  Also, again no offense intended, but I really think you don't fully understand the premise of a dog run/dog park.  Humans don't go wandering through a dog park, it's typically double gated, so that the unleashed dogs can roam free.  The only humans inside the area would be the ones who brought the dog. Plus, it is a very common thing.  There is one in Madison Square Park in Manhattan which is half the size of Constitution Green.

[JFW657]

I think if it's allowable, the land next to the OUC building would suit the needs of central downtown residents pretty well. As I said, no matter where you put one, some people would live close by while others would have to travel a bit. I'm sure not all the NYC residents who use the one you mentioned live within a block or two of it either.

But the other thing that I mentioned previously was, the strip you're talking about is privately owned, so getting permission from the owner(s) could be an issue. It might be divided by the property line for each building. And for all we know, there may well be some other safety or liability issues involved.

I just think that using publicly owned land would be the most preferable option.

 

 

[metal93]

If we're going to be using publicly-owned land, how about that block the Orange County Administration Center sits on? There's a nice piece of land there and there's no reason it could expand by converting the parking lot next to it into more park space. There are already easily-accessed parking lots on the blocks immediately next to it with plenty of spaces, so the loss of the parking lot wouldn't affect things.

Those pieces of land by the 408 are reasonable but they're not close to residential areas. The area by the OUC has the most potential as the city is looking to build the Boone extension to Sylvia lane. With Downtown South and Lake Lucerne-area development, the land immediately around and under the 408 is prime for use as park space to better connect Downtown to Downtown South as it gets developed. But the city will have to deal with the Expressway Authority/FDOT for permission to use it as a dog park. Speaking of FDOT, isn't a portion of the proposed I-4 Bridge District going to include a dog park in addition to all its other proposed facilities?

But I agree with AndyPok1, we are getting off-topic here. This discussion should be moved to the Coffeehouse, create a dog-park specific thread.

[JFW657]

Just heard on WFTV that the city is moving forward with plans for a dog park at CG.

Still in preliminary planning stages and nothing cast in stone, but for the dog park advocates, I'm sure it's encouraging news.

I would hope they put it over on the west end.