A recently discovered "bumping place" in my community is the dog park. Apparently, it is the place to take your dog to learn to socialize, exercise, and play. Our new puppy, Lupa, loves it as do we- a tired, exercised dog is a happy dog!
It is an interesting culture at the dog park. For the first few weeks we knew the names of the dogs, their breed, age, gender, allergies, idiosyncrasies, and other tidbits of information. However, we didn't know the names of the owners! Over time we did begin to learn the owner's names. Dog owners have a routine of either walking the perimeter with their dog, playing with their dog in the middle of the park, or standing near the entrance to watch the dogs interact. I like to interact in a variety of ways in order to maximize my dog's experience. Now after taking Lupa to the dog park for about three months we are having great conversations about something in common with others: being a dog owner.
Having a dog park as a "bumping place" had never crossed my mind. I initially considered the dog park for just exercising the dog. Now I see it as a place to interact with other dog owners and learn more about dog behaviour. I look forward to our "outings" to the park because it is such a social place, for both humans and dogs.
This particular bumping place is special because the city had the foresight to utilize a piece of property that could never be developed. This foresight met the needs of a particular segment of the population. The park is oval, fenced in, has plenty of parking, and is lighted as a result of the commercial properties surrounding it. This means even after dark dog owners can frequent the park. City planners have recently spoke to dog owners to find out how a dog park can be built even more effectively.
A bumping place in any community is a place to be side-to-side with neighbours and have opportunities to interact. Often these bumping places, or gathering places, will be a place where people share a common interest or have the potential to discover differences. These bumping places can blossom into a chance to develop relationships that may forge into a particular community focus or initiative.
There are many stories in our own communities where these bumping places have brought together a group of people. These connections have often created initiatives, a movement, or a project in a community to make communities an even better place to live.
Take the time to seek out a "bumping place" that fits for you in your community. Or, create one yourself! You will never know what may transpire! After all, it is up to each of us to help contribute and create the quality of life we want in our neighbourhoods.
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