Removing dogs won’t completely solve the problem at teepee site

By Letter to the Editor on November 21, 2018.

The essence of the discussion around the Saamis Archaeological Site is not historical preservation, but, rather, the relationship between pedestrians, vehicles and dogs. The belief that removing dogs from the equation will slow the degradation of the site is inherently suspect.

Larger actions have doomed it, not the soft patter of paws. Since the 1950s, we have attempted to control the flow of Seven Persons Creek. The St Mary’s River Irrigation District, the Trans-Canada Highway that blocks its natural flow, and flood mitigation efforts all contribute to the ongoing erosion. Nature does not discriminate, time and water change all things.

Let us cut to the chase. It is about the use of the trail system. Dog owners cherish the site for its openness, creek access and location. Pedestrians and bicyclists believe that the off-leash dogs are a threat to their use and enjoyment of the paths. So therein lies the quandary. You cannot make both sides happy, and, apparently, compromise is no longer a Canadian virtue.

Two thumbs up from trail users, and an emphatic thumbs down from dog owners (whose memories are elephantine). The perception (and remember that perception is truth) is that this is a victory for users of the trails.

The reality is most citizens of Medicine Hat have never used those trails, know little of the history of the Indigenous use of the site beyond Rick Filanti’s World’s Tallest Tepee, and shake their heads in disbelief in what they see as throwing bad money after bad. The mayor hit the nail on the head. Governments up the food chain like to make the rules, but download the costs to cities that can ill-afford them. If this is really about honouring the Indigenous people, remove all of the trails, bridges and monuments and return it to as natural site as is possible with no access, and not just remove the dogs.

To be clear, my black lab service dog and I have used the off-leash area on a number of occasions, but unlike lacrosse, hockey or rock concerts, she found it disquieting, so we ceased going.

In the end, politics, pedestrians and pooches don’t mix.

Immanuel Moritz

Medicine Hat

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