Merde Alors ! A Pop Up Poop update

I spent the past seven years renovating the century old Flour Mill on South Elm St... 

A whole lot of sweat, a whole lot of blood, a whole lot of cash and I must admit a few tears as well...because i am sensitive like that.

A few weeks ago Action Greensboro's Cecelia Thompson announced the future opening of a dog park on the land adjacent to my building... could have been a cool idea except for two things... 

1- I had already informed Dyan Arkin (city Staffer) months before of my intentions of opening a dog park with a beer garden on my property, and ,

2- Action Greensboro was put in charge of it ... so chances are it will cost a ton of money and will be mediocre at best... remember the pop up promenade ? the 4 mile Greenway @ $6,000,000/mile? Have you noticed the elegant zip ties and paper signs around our Downtown? 

The dog park puzzled me as city resources and funds were being allocated without city council vote or approval... I have asked a few council members and none of the five i spoke with, remembered being involved in the decision... probably because...

"The Redevelopment Commission of Greensboro and the 

South Elm Development Group has allocated land for the 

creation of a Pop Up Dog Park at South Elm and Lee Streets 

at the Redevelopment Commission site." 

So city trucks and heavy equipment came, Reggie Delahantie  (City of Greensboro's Economic development)  came and waved his arms around a lot,  a chain link fence was rented, a chain link fence was installed, a water line was pulled (with copper piping) a back flow preventer was installed and a replica of refugee camp finally emerged... (could be useful to contain 400 rioting teens)

Action Greensboro 's leadership having their photo taken in front of its latest creation...from left to right Cecelia Thompson, April Harris and Judy (who happens to be one of my favorite individual)

I had a lot of questions and I then came across this little piece...

"Pop Up Dog Park FAQ

• Dog(s)less than four (4) months of age

• Female dog(s) in heat

• Dogs with a known history of dangerous behavior

• Visitors who taunt, tease, molest, or abuse ANY dog in the off-leash area or Park  

• Dogs incapable of being controlled by their handler at all times while in the

• off-leash area, and while entering and exiting the area.

• Children eight(8) years of age and younger

• More than three dogs per visitor 

• Any animals other than dogs

• Keep dogs leashed when entering and before exiting the off-leash area.

• Remove choke, spike, pinch, prong, or collars that may injure other dogs BEFORE play is allowed.

• Have ready access to the dog(s) leash at all times.

• Remove animal from the off-leash area at the first sign of aggression.

Again, will there be an attendant?
How will the Dog Park be maintained?

Please leave the park in better condition and cleaner than you found it. Visitors should pick up after their own dogs, plus fill in any holes dug by their dog. (And encourage others to do so, too!)  Smoking, food, and glass containers are not permitted.
The City of Greensboro will provide trashcans, bags and weekly trash pickup."

OK, so will there be a permanent attendant to ensure compliance ... right?
What happens to large amounts of dog doodoo in the sun for a week? 
When Bob Chapman  (South Elm St Master Developer) once told me that he could bring the value of my property down...I laughed, as I was well aware of my surrounding at the time...I should have been aware of the Master Developer's secret ingredient... canine excrement!
Certainly could explain previous  projects...

All this time, the economic development incentive that was missing from my neighborhood was large amounts of dog shit to pile up for a week.

The missing ingredient to be worthy of the Baseball Stadium, the GPAC site, Kaplan's hotel or the higher education campus for sure!


When will the park be open?The Park will be open daily to the public from sunrise to sunset.

Will dogs be required to be vaccinated?All dogs must be legally vaccinated, wearing a visible dog vaccination tag.

Again, will there be an attendant?

Now for my favorite one...
"Visitors are responsible for any injury to animal or human caused by any dog toy, play object, or other item they have brought into the off leash area. No attendant will be on duty at the Dog Park. Users enter at their own risk."

 Someone surely will be responsible for any potential civil action resulting from injuries...Will it be Action Greensboro, The Bryan Foundation, the Redevelopment commission or us?

I am now seriously questioning Action Greensboro's reason for being and its unsupervised access to city staff...too often with unmemorable, unsatisfying and expensive results...

WHAT DO THEY DO AGAIN ???