Haughey: Keep Old Pond Park for locals
Letter to the editor
People live in downtown Basalt, too. And many of them have dogs.
I was given a ticket last Friday for walking my dogs off-leash in Riverside Park, where everyone who lives downtown walks their dogs, mostly off-leash.
But Riverside Park has been converted from a community park for residents to gather to a business asset to enhance downtown economic activity. A new bandshell. A backdrop to outdoor dining. Gardens you shouldn’t walk in. Tie-up picnic areas for commercial boaters. All shiny and new.
Old Pond Park — Riverside Park’s downstream, relatively undeveloped neighbor — remains a place for locals. There’s nothing shiny and new in this rare and very pleasant place to walk and enjoy nature.
Please join me in writing to the Town Council and town manager to urge keeping Old Pond Park for locals, including their dogs, and make it an undeveloped off-leash park focused on residents who live downtown.
Ryan.Mahoney@basalt.net
Bill.Kane@basalt.net
Reid Haughey
Basalt