Virtually nobody disagrees with this. When you think of the somber dignity of a commemoration, you don’t associate it with long-eared mutts, galloping after tennis balls and frisbees, drool dangling from their gums. Or the inherent digging and excrement that comes with hosting dogs.
The only problem, says City Hall, is that it wouldn’t be fair to kick dog owners out of the park until they have somewhere else to go. The best council could do was promise the dog park would be removed as soon as a new location was found for it.
The debate prefacing this decision revealed politicking rarely seen in this city, and highlighted the uncomfortable reality that not a single city counsellor could speak to the issue as a member of the black community. Surprising, when you consider that Halifax has a significant black population.
Cue the mad rush for councillors to publicly stress that they hold the black community’s needs as first priority. You know council is nervous when somebody actually voices the concern that if they don’t agree to a request, it will look bad in the papers. Think nightmare headlines, like “City denies Africville commemoration in favour of dogs” or “Dogs allowed to dig up historic site.” Those are not headlines you get re-elected with.
Realistically, council handled the issue in the best way possible—given the circumstances. To relocate the dog park immediately is logistically impossible, and if council had voted to close the dog park without a replacement, they would have faced heavy criticism. But if they denied the request to close the park it would have alienated the black community. Not only that, but at simplified face-value (ie. black community vs dogs) it would have come off as callous and enraged anyone of any race who values cultural diversity and sensitivity. Either way, somebody was bound to be disappointed. At least this way each side won’t lose in the long run: the dogs will get their park, and the black community will get its historic site. Just not right now.
