Hokey Geeze! Some shrubbery!

I am sure some of you have already noticed the presence of some junior shrubs at the dog run? wow. And some landscaping with the impatiens in the corner by the service gate? and the lovely hosta display in between the trees on the way to the entrance gate? things are looking up!

What is going on? Am I taking crazy pills? Shrubgate 2010

Hello? Anyone accountable in City Hall for the dog runs? For the shrubs? Are there shrubs? Are these shrubs to be planted at the Lansdowne Dog Run? At any dog run? Have they been ordered? Are they in transit? Do they exist?

You may recall that at the June meeting, Cynthia Lulham was asked to look into the shrub issue, again. By the mayor, again. There was also a promise to call the questioner (Paul Creighton) the NEXT DAY with the answer as to shrub status. Not only no call, but still no answer. This is where the idea of crazy pills comes in. I mean, seriously, how hard can it be to answer a question that has been asked at least three times over three months? This answer doesn't deliver the lost clue to the location of Eldorado or the Fountain of Youth, rather it highlights landscaping choices in a public area.

Have the shrubs been planted? Have the shrubs been purchased? Yes, or No. Not much wiggle room here - yes we did, no we didn't. Does the approved $80,000 for green landscaping include safety and beautification treatments for the dog runs?

If this is all new, the shrub idea was suggested by the city as a way to help deter dogs from jumping out over the fences. The city's position is that the cedar shrubs will maintain natural look and will not only provide some protection to the dogs and owners inside, but to the passersby outside the fence.

Some dog run goers feel that shrubs are a limited deterrent and in fact pose a hazard in that dogs still jump and can get caught and strung up on the shrubs. Shrubs are also expensive, slow to grow, and need to be planted and maintained. All this instead of just adding a section to the existing chain link fence? Cheaper, more effective and can still be fancied up with decorative greenery.

Chances are though, this wait and see tactic is going to drag on until the arena construction/destruction begins at which point, the dog run will cease to exist - not only physically, but as an issue or cause for concern for some councillors.