March 11

Enforce the OFF LEASH DOGS in leashed areas. This has become a huge detterent for many in public areas. It just doesn't matter that the dog is "friendly" - people have a right to not be jumped on, slip in feces, or be charged by anything or anyone. A little enforcement would go a long way.

Mark's suggestion is bang-on. We can already see the success skateparks have brought about (I wish there were such facilities when I skated back in the day!). Mountain bike/BMX parks are slowly gaining momentum as well. Providing for popular activities is definitely the key to keeping more people in the city more of the time. BUT... for many like myself, escaping the city to enjoy the backcountry and mountains or other unique environment is really what it is all about. It's a spiritiual thing. You cannot re-create such environments/experiences in the confines of an urban park. The beloved North Shore regional parks are the closest thing.

Subcultural based recreation strategies
The fine art of keeping people playing in our cities must be based on the provision of places / facilities for play that are based on what people really want to do. Currently much of or public space is not programmed for the desires of the increasing subcultural diversity of our city. If the City undertook a subcultural study to identify the many subcultures we have and what they want to do (skateboarders, bird watchers, gardeners, rock climbers, sports enthusiasts, white water kayakers, and hundreds of others) and then undertook a targetted approach of providing great facilities for these subcultures, we'd have a lot of people playing in the city, and even more gathering around with a cappucino to watch them. With a clearly focused approach, getting funding for some of these more costly facilities could probably be made easier (particularly from private corporations associated with those activities), as partnerships with key user groups would be strong.

It would be great to see our parks used for camping and see them made more natural, but how do you deal with the problem of people living in the parks, leaving needles and other nasty stuff laying around, and generally making it a dangerous place to be at night? I'm thinking of the times I've tried to go for a walk in Stanely Park on a summer night. It's a scary place once you get off the main roads.

Well maintained and monitored tent sites in some of our city parks would encourage more people to 'play' in the city on the weekends.

Tent sites could be open / limited to special events, i.e. an evening of learning about the stars and waking to an early morning community pancake breakfast and nature walk.

Many of our parks could be restored. For example, Tatlow Park's First Creek (near McDonald and Pt. Grey Road) could be restored for salmon. Returning salmon would facinate children of all ages.

Keeping people in the city takes events and special places to play.