Letters
06/03/2009 10:00 PM
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Dog owners need to clean up
The positives of urban living are many, and those of us who reside in the Printer’s Row/South Loop community can consider ourselves lucky to live in one of the great neighborhoods of Chicago.
One area where those of us who live downtown may not have the advantage over our suburban friends, is our knowledge of lawn care. Take, for instance, the greenscape that was placed along the new, relocated 800 block of S. Financial Place. City dwellers may be unaware that new sod must be well cared for, if it is to take root and grow into lush, green grass. What is particularly bad for budding grass is for it to be covered in dog feces and saturated in dog urine for long periods of time.
This, unfortunately, is exactly what has happened to a 25-foot long parcel of grass at the southwest corner of Polk Street and Financial Place. All hopes of a greener and more beautiful South Loop have been washed away in a torrent of dog urine and feces — turning a once-promising urban lawn into a fetid, stinking mire of matted, brown mush. The neighborhood rodents are elated of course, but the rest of us who desire a respected and clean community are scratching our heads at this abominable idiocy, perpetrated by self-absorbed dog-owning cretins who care little for the future of our neighborhood. I guess I’m just supposed to grin and bear it. Their dogs need to poop and pee somewhere, right? Who cares if some greenery gets completely trashed in the process? But, I must admit, it’s hard to watch this incredible self-centeredness continue.
Therefore I’m using this letter to call on Ald. Fioretti to remove this embarrassing blight of failed lawn from the Financial Place streetscape, and replace it all with concrete. I realize that this is yet another casualty caused by the crude and boorish dog owners, but it is better than looking at a decimated greenspace.
LaMont R. Smiley
800 S. Wells St.