Ponding basins

The Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District has padlocked their ponding basins. These areas were previously open as urban, civic recreational spaces. Can someone give me a Fresno hallelujah for “parks?” Oops!

In these spaces one could walk in a green, shaded area, commune with others and sometimes bring a dog. One suspects that it is more the dogs, not the people, that have moved the district to seal the parks. Of course, dogs do play, bark and poop. People with dogs mostly pick up the poop. But residents adjoining the basins are perhaps mostly offended by the barking and the presence of these people and dogs, mostly from — OMG! — outside the neighborhood. The basins, public property, were there before the residents, but never mind.

Anyone who was ever in a local high school will recognize the district’s response to these annoyances: Cancel everything! Lock the gates! Permit only ... Canadian geese? Well, at least some critters get to enjoy the space. Not that they are deficient in the production of poop. But, once more, never mind.

And these spaces continue to be watered despite our drought. Some adult thought is required here.

This story was originally published June 25, 2015 at 3:26 PM with the headline "Ponding basins."