Date: May 5th, 2010

Dear Somerville Dog Owners and Friends of Somerville Dogs,

With great joy I share the news from Carlene Campbell, Director of Community Outreach and the City's Liaison to the Dog Owners Task Force, that on Monday afternoon, May 17th at 4:00, the the City will hold a ground-breaking ceremony for the Zero New Washington Community Park and Off-Leash Recreational Area at the park site. Bring your dogs to say "goodbye" to an overgrown, unused lot, and to offer a playbow to what will be a awesome park for the community to enjoy with our dogs!

Other upcoming events in May:

Saturday, May 8 - Citywide Spring Clean Up

For the past five years the Somerville Dog Owners Group has participated in Spring Clean Up Day. This year we are again encouraging dog owners to go out to your neighborhood clean-up headquarters, meet your neighbors, check in with your neighborhood captains (aldermen and school committee members), and help make Somerville a great place where we can all live with our dogs. Dog owners are especially encouraged to bring supplies (e.g. gardening spades, plastic bags) for cleaning up those pesky piles that have been left behind. After a morning of community service, volunteers are invited to a community barbecue at noon next door to the OLRA at Nunziato Field.

Volunteers should meet a ward captain at 10:00 A.M. at the following locations throughout Somerville:

• Ward 1: Cross Street Senior Center, 165 Broadway; AND Capuano School
• Ward 2: Union Square Parking Lot at SCAT Building
• Ward 3: City Hall Concourse, 93 Highland Ave.
• Ward 4: Blessing of the Bay Boat House, Shore Drive
• Ward 5: Community Path at Cedar Street
• Ward 6: Davis Square, Statue Park
• Ward 7: Teele Square Fire Station

Saturday, May 22 - Mayor's Fitness Challenge Open Street Celebration

At the culmination of the two-month Mayor's Fitness Challenge, the City will close Shore Drive in Ten Hills to motor-vehicle traffic and open the street to community recreation--just like Memorial Drive in Cambridge in the Summer on Sundays. Dogs that are leashed (no retractible leads, please) and licensed and who enjoy the company of people and other dogs are welcome. We are looking forward to seeing a lot of Somerville dogs at the Open Street Celebration!

Sunday, May 30 - Memorial Day Parade

Help som|dog have our biggest and best group in the Memorial Day Parade this year! You can walk with your dog or without your dog. In fact we need people without dogs to help lead us in the parade by carrying our banner and to help pull the Waggin' Wagon with extra water and water bowls for the dogs. Our parade group is forming now! Please contact me (michelebiscoe@somervilledog.com) for more information if you are interested in walking (your dog) with the Somerville Dog Owners Group in the Memorial Day Parade.



Thank you for marking your calendar,

Cheers,
Michele
with Strummer (standard poodle)

Michele Biscoe
Chairperson
Somerville Dog Owners Group (som|dog)
www.somdog.org

The Somerville Dog Owners Group promotes responsible dog ownership, safe and legal options for off-leash recreation, and open space for all in Somerville, MA