Hi everyone, hope you are doing well! Quick question...  

I've been contemplating doing another round of flyers.  They're not terribly expensive, and they hang-up pretty quick.  I updated the messaging, intending to put a finer point on the real issue at hand. 

I honestly don't get the sense that anyone is asking the city to turf-over the ballfields and exclude sports-players from the park.  That's certainly not my own goal.  I actually want to play beer-league kickball/softball myself - I've always enjoyed both.

All I want is to responsibly go to an empty park in the morning with my dog (and of course pick up every last ounce of his poop), and not have people chase me around in vehicles, blow whistles at me, threaten me over the loudspeaker, try to run me over, etc.  It's a nasty way to treat people, and personally it stresses me out.  Going to the park should be a joyful experience...take in the sunrise, stretch my legs, and enjoy some healthy exercise with my best friend. 

So this next flyer focuses on the harassment.  In my mind, that's really the core issue. 

Re-zoning seems like it could be an easy, quick, inexpensive way to eliminate that...and certainly there are other pathways. 

• Maybe just rezoning and/or fencing-off a portion of the park that's big enough for multiple large dogs to safely get exercise at the same time...and doing it this year, not 5-6 years from now?
• Maybe updating the current policy to allow for conditional usage, i.e.: "Dogs are allowed when sports teams and organized groups of children are not present?" 

There's got to be some some reasonable middle ground here.  Myself and others I've spoken with, we just want to have access to a quiet, empty corner of the park, and not be harassed, not have anxiety while we're there, not be constantly watching over our shoulders for the ranger to come, not worry about having to pay a citation, etc.

My goal - get to at least 1,000 signatures on the petition, and then call for a meeting with RPD, Supervisor Walton's office, etc.  Certainly, as many supporters as the venue will accommodate should plan to attend any such meeting, (and/or protest outside if we're not allowed in), to ensure the city hears from all of us.  

At any rate, before I press "print" on this next flyer, I'd love to get your feedback.  Do you think the updated messaging will help our cause?

1) Download the full-size flyer here:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DdR2THRGbIC-rtOyWG_xM973zWLAU7io/view?usp=sharing

2) Take this quick 2-question survey: https://forms.gle/ZSDbxuWujEAWGCTJ8

Side note:

I've been living in Potrero Hill about a year.  Before that, I was in Dogpatch for about 5 years, and Mission Bay for 4 years before that.  While in Dogpatch, I participated in the community input and public comment process for the redesign of Esprit Park in Dogpatch.  Dog owners were fighting pretty hard to ensure that at least a portion of that park remained open to dogs.  I think in some cases we were heard, and I think in other cases Rec & Parks overruled some important aspects of the neighbors' input (for example putting turf in the dog play area, despite many, many voices advocating for natural grass).  

Perhaps because I was a Dogpatch resident at the time, I wasn't involved in the public comment process for the Jackson redesign.  That said, I've seen comments on this petition saying the voices of dog-owning attendees at the Jackson redesign meetings were dismissed and/or ignored.  I can relate, after my experience with Esprit.  I personally think the process is a bit broken, particularly if the only viable outcome for Jackson is a tiny dog run 1/3 the size of a tennis court, with harassment from park employees being seen as acceptable in the meantime.

Let me know your thoughts on the flyer, and thanks again for your support.  I appreciate you.