Pubdate: Fri, 30 May 2008
Source: Cambridge Times (CN ON)
Copyright: 2008 Fairway Newspaper Group
Contact:  http://www.cambridgetimes.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3423
Author: Yolonda White

PARKS NOT FOR POTHEADS

I wanted to write this to simply thank those self-centered,
thoughtless, ignorant little so-and-so's that were at Soper Park on
Wednesday around 4:30 and 5 p.m.

Thank you for not being in any way at all discrete or considerate for
those of us that were also there with our children.

This was the first time I had been in this park since I was a kid.
I've heard many horror stories of what this park has become but I
thought these were stories of nighttime escapades.

I thought it would be a change for my children to see a different part
that our city has to offer and I would be able to get some beautiful
nature photos.

I must say that the park definitely looks nothing like I remember and
is very beautiful. Congratulations on the improvements to the park in
the ways of nature and its natural landscape.

However, the three boys (14 to 15 years of age) and the six older
teens (18 to 20 years of age) sitting on the opposite sides of the
pavilion from each other smoking weed, should all save a few brain
cells and pull their heads out of the haze long enough to realize
there are children playing all of 100 yards away.

There's a dozen different paths that have been walked down in the
grass that lead into the bush all around you. Would it really be that
hard to walk off somewhere and puff away there? Seriously, it would
take you a few minutes longer to get your buzz, but the kids running
around you playing and laughing don't need to be seeing it.

I had the joys of answering the question, "Mommy, what's that funny
smell? It stinks!" to my nearly five-year-old son.

Yeah, it sucked having to lie to him, but I though it was better than
saying, "Well those boys over there are doing drugs."

And then having to get into a long discussion on what, why and all the
other questions that would have followed.

We had come to the park to have fun and discover what's in a new park.
Little did I know we'd have a to compete with the local potheads!

Needless to say we weren't there that long and I won't be returning to
that park again. Hopefully those who were there at that time, or
anyone else that enjoys their highs in our parks, will have their eyes
opened wide enough to read this and think for even a second.

The only question I have to pose to you is, how would you feel if it
was you playing with your kids and had to deal with this?

Yolonda White

Cambridge
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin