MEMBER SIGN IN
Not a member? Become one today!
         iBerkshires     Berkshire Chamber     Berkshire Community College     City of Pittsfield    
Search
Dog Walk Benefit For Pittsfield Hit-and-Run Victim Gets Permit
By Joe Durwin, Special to iBerkshires
03:05PM / Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Print | Email  

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Park Commission approved on Tuesday, without question or debate, a request to hold the "Pittsfield Positive People and Proud Pets" dog walking event at Kirvin Park on April 15. 

The community dog walk was conceived in honor of hit-and-run victim Peter Moore's dog, Toby, who attempted to keep his master warm while Moore was bleeding and in shock for several hours along the side of Winesap Road in December.

The event, organized by Ken Ramsdell, was initially planned to take place in February but needed to be postponed when the event's organizers became aware that it would require the same permitting as any other formally organized event on park land.

"This is a one time approval, it's not for every week or every month," Park Commission Chair John Herman said after the request had been approved.

Herman also said that dogs should be kept on leashes, and any waste disposed of.

The park request was seen as controversial by some, due to its symbolic relationship to the ongoing criminal adjudication of the alleged driver in Moore's accident, Meredith Nilan.  Nilan's father Clifford sits on the Park Commission, but did not abstain from the 5-0 vote.

In other news, the commission expressed favorable opinion on a proposal by Bill Whittaker, co-owner of The Garden, to pioneer a skate and bmx "camp" at the city's newly installed skate park for June.

The proposed workshops would offer free instruction for different age and experience levels, Whittaker said, starting around 10 a.m. 

"The kids that are kind of new to it, they're going to be learning more how to do the simple things, learn the etiquette of the park, so you don't have kids standing around on stuff they shouldn't be standing on," Whittaker said.

Helmets will be required for all participants, and the tutorials will also tie in with efforts to encourage helmet use, Whittaker said, including a discounted price on helmets at his shop. Lack of helmet use, as seen in this recent video, has been the most often cited point of contention with residents over the new skate park.

Whittaker will return to the Commission with a finished proposal and need to obtain permit signatures from relevant city departments in order to hold the event.
Comments
More Featured Stories
Pittsfield.com is owned and operated by: Boxcar Media 106 Main Sreet, P.O. Box 1787 North Adams, MA 01247 -- T. 413-663-3384
© 2008 Boxcar Media LLC - All rights reserved