|
|
|
| Sunday, 02 April 2006 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
S------- with the hounds
by Aditha Dissanayake Much of the beauty and appeal of jogging and walking, they say, lie with the simple fact that you can do it anywhere, anytime with only one person - you. No matter how old you are and how many green notes you may have in your wallet, your exercise space, if you are a city dweller, is only as far away as the Galle Face Green, Parliament Grounds or the Independence Square. But whereever you choose, to walk or run, with the aim of losing weight, improving fitness, or relieving stress, all you need are a good pair of shoes and plenty of enthusiasm.
It is indeed surprising why no one has yet thought of catering to the needs of the fitness enthusiasts at Independence Square. Someone could surely make a good profit living off the fat of the land! Everybody who spends an evening at the Square will agree that this is the best place in the heart of the city where you can relax and be at ease, where the scenery, the aweinspiring stone pillars together with the statue of D. S. Senanayake will hold your attention and take your mind away from what your body is up to. Here is a place that is ideal for carefree running. But, hold it! Is the aesthetics, as well as the terrain, really in your favour? It used to be, once. But not anymore. Thanks to those who have begun to bring their canine companions too for a daily bout of exercises, everyone now have to keep their eyes on the ground when they jog or walk. The moment you take your eyes off to look at the scenery, you are in danger of stepping on a doggy mess. It is especially disheartening to see those, who, in their own lands would have carried pet excrement collectors, not bothering to take back with them their dog's business when they are at a public place in a country like ours. Could they so easily have forgotten the laws in their motherlands which say you must remove all your pets' excrement from any nature strip, footpath, road, parkland or public place? As for our own fellow joggers who bring their dogs too with them on their jogging sprees, how nice it would be if you could carry plastic or siri siri bags with you to collect, take home and dispose of your pet's droppings. Even though there are no fines for failing to clean up after your pet in a public place in Sri Lanka, surely it is not nice for people to have to look at or smell the excrement your pet leaves behind. Remember, your dog is your friend and your partner. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. It is your responsibility to pick up and dispose his doggy doogy - if only to keep your own shoes free of unwanted smells. |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
It is indeed surprising why no one has yet thought of catering to the
needs of the fitness enthusiasts at Independence Square. Someone could
surely make a good profit living off the fat of the land! 
Mr. S. Dayaratne apparently has both. "I come here for my Middle
Management Course" he says, grinning and patting his large waist. "I prefer
the Independence Square because parking is not a problem here. But it would
help if there are places here too where I could buy a bottle of water or eat
a piece of pineapple like at Galle Face". 
