Wednesday, January 17, 2001
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
Commission unharnesses leash-free dog park plan
By Erin Adamson and Brooks Hester
writer@kanson.com
Kansas staff writers
Local dogs soon will be able to play leashfree in a new dog park north of the Clinton Lake spillway. The park should be completed late this spring or early summer.
The Lawrence City Commission voted 5-0 last night in favor of allowing Lawrence Parks and Recreation to proceed with
plans to lease the 30 to 40 acres of land and to build bathrooms and parking lots at the park.
Michele Haider-Markel, Lawrence resident and dog owner, said the approval of the survey.
dog park wasn't a surprise.
"I think with all the planning and research that has gone into this park, it wasn't a shock that the commission approved it." Fauler-Markel said.
Owners must keep their dogs on leashes within city limits, even in parks and school playgrounds. The new park would provide an area for dogs to play unencumbered by leashes. Although dogs may not have to be on leashes, owners will still be required to be in control of their animals at all times.
A committee of Lawrence groups working on the dog park toured an offlea area already established in Johnson County's Shawnee Mission Park.
Commissioner Mike Rundle said he appreciated the planning involved on the part of the committee that researched and planned the proposal. He also said he
thought the park was a good idea.
"I'm convinced that there is broad community support for this." Rundle said.
However, not everyone at the meeting was convinced that the dog park was a good idea. William Dann, Lawrence resident, spoke against the proposal.
Haider-Markel, supporter of the park,
said she was happy to hear Dann's comments,
but said she still thought the dog park was a good plan.
"I'm sorry to rain on everyone's parade, but a gift of some 30 or 40 acres of public land to this group is not appropriate," Dann said.
"Everyone has their own opinions, and everyone has their rights," Haider-Markel said. "But the fact is that this is going to benefit a lot of people and their dogs."
Commissioner David Dunfield agreed and said the plan wasn't very costly.
"I think it's a modest expense," Dunfield said. "And if it's not a success, then it can always be reversed."
Fred DeVictor, Lawrence Parks and Recreation director, said the department tried to keep parks safe and convenient for the public.
"If you play some organized sports in a park and you step in dog poop, that's not pleasant." DeVictor said.
Although official rules for the park have not been determined yet, DeVictor said pet owners would need to register their dogs, keep them from fighting and clean up after them. The exact location of the park would be bordered by the road to the spillway and a natural creek line east of 902 Road.
Edited by Matt Daugherty
New city buses roll through town; residents, students use service
By Erin Adamson
writer@kanson.com
Kansan staff writer
While most students were leaving for winter break, the long awaited Lawrence Transit System buses started rolling.
A citywide bus system began on Dec. 16, allowing residents to travel through the city using public transportation. Students will be able to connect with the city buses from campus. One of the city bus routes crosses campus as it travels from downtown to Iowa Street.
Mike Wildgen, Lawrence city manager,
said the city had expected the bus system to begin slowly, with about 50 riders the first day.
"We open it up at the worst possible time." Wilden said of the mid-winter start.
The number of student riders was low during the first month of the transportation system's operation because the system's beginning coincided with finals. Wildden said.
However, Wildgen said that use of the buses had been growing steadily as people became aware of the service.
Karin Rexroad, Lawrence public transit administrator, said that the latest bus survey snowed 4,726 people had ridden the route from Massachusetts Street to Wakara Drive during January.
The system began operating with city-leased buses, Rexroad said. Larger city-owned buses are expected to arrive in June.
The fare is 50 cents, except for children under age five, who ride free, and seniors and persons with disabilities or Medicare cards, who are charged 25 cents. Riders are required to provide exact change.
A bus rider also can ask the driver for a transfer, which allows the rider to transfer to any other bus within the next two hours.
The Public Transit Advisory Committee has not yet decided whether to honor the KU bus pass for students transferring from a campus bus to city bus. Rexroad said that a partnership service won't be considered for another year. Until this time, KU students will pay the regular city fare when transferring from KU on Wheels buses.
The buses run from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday. The buses do not run on Sunday, although Rexroad said the city would assess needs and may add Sunday routes.
— Edited by Courtney Craigmile
Don't forget your lines
Joe Farkas, played by John Aldridge, Leavenworth freshman, and Kirsten Magnuson, Lawrence resident, converse in a train car during a dress rehearsal of the comedy, "The Last Night of Ballyhoo." The first performance will be at 8 p.m. Friday at the Lawrence Community Theatre, 1501 New Hampshire St. Photo by Nick Krug/KANSAN
High natural gas prices inflate heating bills
By Sarah Warren
By Sarah Warren
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
When Pat O'Brien opened his December gas bill, he was stunned.
"It's $360," said the Overland Park junior, who lives in a five-bedroom house. "We were expecting to pay half that much. I would much rather do other things with that money."
Larissa Long, director of community relations for Kansas Public Service/Energy One, attributed this season's price increase to years of mild winters.
TO LOWER GAS BILLS
"The use was lower in the past years because the temperature was warmer," Long said. "You compound the lack of drilling in previous years because of a low need with a cold winter and you get high bills." According to Kansas Public Service, the price of each unit of gas has risen 45 to 50 percent this winter from last year, increasing the average monthly heating bill for homes
- Lower temperature on hot water heater
- Take showers instead of baths
- Dress warmly in layers
- Check furnace filter each month to keep it running efficiently
in Lawrence by hundreds of dollars. To prevent January's bill from being sky high, Long recommended that students turn down their heaters.
Megan Spielbusch, Overland Park sophomore, received her December bill and went straight for her thermostat.
"When I got the bill, I turned down the thermostat to 70 degrees because it was at 74 degrees," Spielbusch said. "My bill was at $70 for my apartment, and usually it is $30 or $35."
Jennifer Gunby, Roeland Park junior, said that she had only elec
"You compound the lack of drilling in previous years because of a low need with a cold winter and you get high bills."
Larissa Long
Director of community relations for Kansas Public Service/Energy One
tric energy in her apartment and that she felt lucky not to have to pay gigantic gas bills.
"We paid about four times as much this bill because we tried to conserve with no air conditioning or heat really until December," Gunby said. "And because December was so high for our electricity, I feel awful for those who have to pay two bills that are twice as much."
—Edited by Joshua Richards