Letter to the editor: Great play place

Sometimes a group of young people set up a volleyball net in the sandlot. More rarely, a small group of (usually) men can be seen playing horseshoes. And many days in summer there are folks on the tennis courts. It is a wonder that, though one can see any of this activity while walking the path, there is so little actual encountering, and very little “getting in the way.” (Mostly that amounts to the disc golfers having to wait while people pass by on the path. They never seem to mind — it’s all part of the game. Walkers become just another “hazard” on the course.”

The biggest downer for me are the people who don’t leash their dogs and I do go out of my way to avoid taking my dog too close to them.

Sometimes the league games on the baseball diamonds have spill-over crowds of parents and friends that set up chairs along that section of the path, and we have to walk in the parking lot for a bit, but all in all it’s amazing the number of people the park accommodates, doing such a variety of activities with and around each other and enjoying themselves. It is always pleasant to actually meet people, and indeed, the “regulars” get to be familiar, and exchange friendly greetings.

And sometimes there is no one there, or only a sparse handful of people, and this is good too, especially on early morning walks. Especially in the summer. Especially on mornings like this, when the sky is a watercolor wash and the air is soft and fresh.

Tegen Nelson

The Dalles