The water at Ferguson dog park has been shut off. This is a pretty big problem because dog owners have been taking their dogs here to exercise them expecting that the water will be on to hydrate their dogs. There's no sign or explanation about why the water is off or when it will be back on.
Hi, First, thank you for removing the leaves from Park Ridge Park, the excellent park in the Park Ridge neighborhood, in April. Now, it seems like it is in need of a little bit of post-winter care. The areas where the leaves laid overwinter have become bare (see the picture). This is a spot that the Parks Department has worked hard trying to recover before and I suppose it is time work on it again. There are also other bare spots in the park where leaves had laid over winter (by the shelter - to the east) and for some unknown reason to the south of the swings. Could these areas please be addressed with grass seed and straw to make sure that park stays maintainable, that the structures don't end being compromised by erosion, and to make the park less of a mess after a rain? Also, the mulch covering the area underneath the playground structure may need refilled, in particular underneath the swings. Finally, is there a regular schedule under which these aspects of the park(s) get addressed? I am sure there are priorities and limited resources. We do not want to bother the department - if we knew that this maintenance would be done (based on a known schedule), then we would only have the thank yous to include instead of a thank you and a request. Thanks again.
Lock is gone and kids are turning on water
At Ferguson Dog Park there are a couple large mud pits. I and others have noticed there are dogs using the bathroom in these pits and i'm worried dogs will get sick. Not to mention how dirty they get. A lot of water is being wasted cleaning all the dogs. Is there a way these pits could get filled in? I would also like to thank you all for maintaining the dog park. We absolutely love going there and do so four times a week.
Herbicide / pesticide application at Olcott Park
Re: 168092, filed 4/14/19 and not answered. When you installed the lights along the paved path between Olcott Park and Sherwood Oaks Park, you disturbed a wide swathe of wildfowers. These include Bloodroot, Jack in the Pulpit, Toadshade Trillium, Larkspur, Trout Lily, Cut Leaved Toothwort, Harbinger of Spring and Spring Beauty. Now you have planted grass, which does not belong in a woodland, and when mowed will further damage these native plants. This bit of woods is most unusual in the city for its native plants and trees. Is there not anyone in the Parks Department who values this? We are losing our native plants.
There is a huge grassy plot of land next to Sherwood Oaks Park that has gone seemingly unused for years. It would be great if this expanse of land could be used to create a dog park. There are many dog owners in the Bloomington community that frequent Sherwood Oaks Park, and adding a simple dog park there would give this unused plot of land some purpose and revitalize the park as a whole. This grassy expanse is located alongside the Jackson Creek Trail, a long sidewalk that many dog owners use, myself included. Having the dog park located here would be highly accessible, useful, and convenient. As you may already know, there is already a dog park in Bloomington called Ferguson Dog Park; however, it is in a secluded location and quite far off from local neighborhoods. Commuting there and back is a hassle, and I'm sure many other Bloomington dog owners would agree. This proposed dog park wouldn't have to be fancy. I suggest 2-3 separate fenced-in areas (each area suits different dog sizes/mannerisms) as well as a shaded picnic/sitting area. A dog wash station would be ideal, but not necessary. These suggestions are based off of the design of Ferguson Dog Park, so Ferguson can definitely be consulted for ideas during the creation of this proposed Sherwood Oaks dog park. In the picture above, the dotted lines represent a rough idea for the fencing that would separate the dog park into the 3 areas.
I've noticed the systematic cutting of the wild grape vines throughout the Griffy Nature Preserve. These are native Indiana plants used as food by wildlife, not an alien invasive species. Why are these being cut from the nature preserve? Shouldn't this area be allowed to remain as wild as possible?
I love Bryan Park and have walked there nearly every morning for many years. In the past year or so, bikes have increased in numbers in the park and have become a significant danger to pedestrians. While there are many bikers who are careful and ride slowly down the park's paths, there are always a few bike riders who speed along the park's sidewalks and paths, endangering pedestrians and pets. They fail to announce themselves when they are passing people from behind and ride at speeds that are too fast to be safe. There are many older people who use the park as well as people with small children and pets. The bikers are especially dangerous to them. There should be some safe places for pedestrians in Bloomington and the parks should be among these places. Please keep the bikes out of the park and off of the sidewalks surrounding the park or please enforce bicycle speed limits in the park. This is an accident waiting to happen. An encounter with an unsafe biker is nearly a daily event in the park.
One of the chains is broken on the red and yellow swing at Sherwood oaks park.