Horses are weird.I try not to let my job and this blog overlap very much, but sometimes, I think this place is a good sounding board. Beat Bike Bloggers and their affiliates often find themselves in Keney Park. So, this is probably of interest.
There has been discussion for a long time (since the mid 1990s) about the development of an equestrian center in the northern part of Keney, specifically near the Barbour street entrance, a wooded area. It would be around two hundred acres (slightly less than one third of the park). I'm not going to express my opinion here, but I'd like to know what others think of this plan. What is the role of a 19th century, woodsy, and at times underutilized park at the beginning of the 21st century? Are the present Greater Hartford equestrian centers inadequate? Should parks be retrofitted as economic development drivers?
There's a meeting tonight of the Public Works, Parks, and Environment committee at 5:30 in the Council Chambers at City Hall to discuss this. The plans and more information will be available there. Maybe you should stop by.
8 comments:
I've got no problem with an equestrian center in Keney Park, as long as its not for rich people only. It should be accessible to people that live nearby, many of whom are poor. Get kids and handicapped people riding horses side by side with experts.
Help pay for it by having a place where people can pay to house their horses, right next to the public facility.
Economic development is important.
and at the same time:
add the built environment of the park?
surrender 1/3 of the park to a more or less private concern?
cut down a major part of hartford's largest urban forest?
You're right. I didn't get all that.
slightly less than 1/3 the park!?!?
that's a chunk of land. too big of a chunk. can you post a map of the proposed center from the meeting?
thanks for the heads up.
I don't have a scanner big enough to get you a copy of the map. Sorry.
You can stop by here and take a look at the maps I got. Or, I guess I could try something on google maps...
Joel- there's actually something right now that gets to what you're talking about, but they want to expand into a much, much larger operation.
Who cares about the horses, let's talk about that rider! Nice suit!
As for horses, one particular testy subject with the other muscled powered usergroup is the road apples.
I have commented on this subject in the past on my blog only to raise the ire of many of an equestrienne. Unfortunately, for them, I don't think they get. Their argument is, "oh it's just natural and chewed up grass, what's the big deal anyway?" But once you tell them to get off their high horses and take responsibility for their animal's actions then it can become an issue.
If there is a public forum and horsey back riders are present ask them how they are going to manager the horse $hit.
I feel bad for residents of northeast. the dump is finally closing, but now they're trying to put piles of horse shit in their neighborhood.
Talk about disappointment! When I saw the title of this post, I thought it was going to be about heroin.
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