You barked: Dog run in Shockoe Bottom

RVA dog lovers, and the not-so-inclined, have pinged back with questions in response to Make a pit stop in the Muttropolis.  Mainly, they want visuals of what I’m talking about in terms of a place for your pooch.  While the surrounding development plan—a tourist hub and minor league ballpark potentially—in Shockoe Bottom is yet to be formally rendered in the latest visionary forecasts, I can offer an example of what I believe is a top-notch dog run.

This takes us north to the District of Columbia; DuPont Circle specifically. 

I realize not everyone will share this enthusiasm for what may be perceived as the crème de la crème of dog parks.  These spaces can offer a two-for-one deal by creating a dual green space: an area designated for a dog run, and then an adjacent park for people.

HOW DO WE GET THERE?

• Capital funding/budgets
• Private investment from the dog owner community
• Grants

Before making the case for a dog park politically, we need a community of believers and wanters behind it.  Are you in? 

In full disclosure, a friend of mine made a good point: We don’t want to designate RVA as the place for “crottes de chien”—translation: dog poop (he didn’t say it as lovely as that but I’ll spare you).  This is about attracting people, the thousands of tourists among the millions who own a dog in America, to take a pit stop off the interstate and check us out and ultimately (hopefully) contribute to the tax base while they’re at it. 

Dog parks should not stop at Shockoe Bottom; they should be detailed in the City’s river park system plan and peppered throughout our quaint neighborhoods.  But more on that to come. 

News Flash: Bark about baseball

The morning after I posted “Make a pit stop in Muttropolis,” on the front fold of the Richmond Times-Dispatch was the headline: Shockoe Bottom back in ballpark conversation.  Hello opportunity!

You may be aware of the Flying Squirrels’ Bark in the Park Night—a blend of baseball and man’s best friend, what more could you want?

Bark in the park is not exclusive to the RVA, but maybe we can make something that is; the ideas are inexhaustible.

 

Make a pit stop in the MUTTROPOLIS

Pee Pee Dance
Image source:
Sammy Vicious – WordPress

A few weeks ago, some hoopla over a supposedly controversial “Get Off in Richmond” billboard sign along I-95 went trending (something about sexual innuendo).  According to the sign sponsors, the piece was intended to be a local tourism draw for passersby.  My take:  Whoever smelt it, dealt it.

I propose another sign along I-95 that encourages travelers to get off, and yes, make some smelly things. When you’re traveling with your furry family, they need to hit the rest stop here and there, too.  In the spirit of trip efficiency, you try to take care of your business and your dog’s at the same time—but that doesn’t mean you want to mosey around the dumpsters of a McDonald’s.

Consider this:  A designated “Pet Pit Stop” with lush grass and neighboring parking in Shockoe Bottom near the rising train shed which is a shovel ready project for a central tourist hub in the city.  While we can promote the leisurely incentives to hopping off I-95 into the heart of Richmond, the imperative—i.e., having to pee—is usually a no-brainer.

So your pooch might not do the pee pee dance from the passenger’s seat, but who wouldn’t want to take that pit stop at an attractive destination where they can simultaneously sample our downtown?

At a recent charrette workshop for Shockoe Bottom revitalization I suggested we literally stand up a giant faux pineapple to signify the gateway of southern hospitality.  I think my idea was pretty cool (toot-toot) and the pineapple can welcome both our two-legged and four-legged tourists in chorus.  Plus, economic data reveals the money people spend on their dogs is astonishing.  Think of the potential payback if the train shed housed a Three Dog Bakery in company with a pet pit stop.  On the other hand you don’t need a dog-industry specific storefront; you just need retail that welcomes dogs so families with Fido in tow can patronize businesses.

It’s legitimate to worry about the residual—the poop.  I assume this topic would be one of much debate.  Let’s not miss the point that this dog-welcoming entrée to Richmond could very well pay dividends, economically and for quality of life, in a place where we’re trying to reinvigorate what has in recent history been plagued by blighted property and vagabonds.  We can find ways to mitigate the potential problem with proper disposal stations.

Travelers can stick with the traditional Rest Area dog walks that require them to stay back a gazillion feet from public restrooms where you might feel like you’ll be carjacked and no one will hear the screams because you’re parked in desolate real estate in Intercourse, PA (now that is a sexual reference—ok, so it’s not exactly near I-95 but you get the point) OR; they could stroll around a first-rate puppy pit stop in the heart of charming Virginia.  For many dog parents, your pooch is your kid, and no mama bear wants to hang around some nasty gas station restroom.  So slap on a snazzy (or not so snazzy) sign along I-95 and let the Bottom boom.