A FAIR PARK ADMIRER'S NOBLE CIVIC AMBITION; MR BEE & HIS DOG WAIT FOR A HOME...

EDITION OF MONDAY, FEB. 5, 2024 [PetPowellPress] This is a "Rescues & Restoration" edition. The rescues are dogs and cats. And I'm not kidding: I love dogs and cats and Fair Park, too! 
I may be approaching this clumsily, but my friend Myra Moore has not. She has written an elegant, from-the-heart appeal on behalf of perhaps the most historic city park in the State of Texas, Dallas' Fair Park.
That appeal appeared on the front of the Opinion section of Sunday's edition of The Dallas Morning News -- that's impressive positioning for an effort to protect taxpayer property from neglect and the passage of time! 
Fair Park is, yes, a city park and the legendary home of theaters, museums, other attractions and events and, as you probably thought right away, the State Fair of Texas. [THIS PHOTO OF AGING  FAIR PARK ART APPEARED IN SUNDAY'S DMN.]
Myra, through writing, observation and photography, is building a warm and personal case for restoring and maintaining historic Fair Park as a living element of Dallas' history.
 We'll show how to connect and contribute your thoughts in Contemplations. As Myra wrote in the opening on the blog restorefairparkdallas.com, "Dallas’ Fair Park needs restoration. But it is more than a place to preserve. It is a place to keep alive."
Now, we have some of our mission-connected dog and cat stories before we get to the saving of historic Fair Park.
MR BEE AND LORENZO,
DOG 'N' CAT COMBO OF PALS
We're were working on another story and waiting on details to emerge when we heard from our longtime rescue pal Maeleska Fletes. "These are my fosters. The cat is fabulous," wrote the enduring rescuer, foster and advocate for animals. The cat is Mr Bee and the dog is Lorenzo.

Maeleska wrote, "Mr Bee came from my sister Chally Fletes' house with Mrs Bee. Both were to go on transport through the SPCA with Amanda helping. Mrs Bee was diagnosed with FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis) and now is under the care of the wonderful Eileen Walsh."

There is also a connection to a particularly sad event in the history of animal rescuers and advocates in North Texas. Perhaps you recall the November highway crash on I-30 in Mesquite that took the life of Amanda Smith, the valued volunteer and advocate for Plano- based Cat Matchers. 
Maeleska wrote, "Mr Bee was in the car when Amanda had her wreck. He and the Cat Tommy were the only ones hurt. Cat Matchers took ownership of Tommy and has paid the vet bill. He had a broken vertebrae and spent nearly 3 months at the vet. He now can walk and use the cat box. He is in foster care looking for a home.
"The vet worried that Mr Bee had a head injury. We were told if he makes it through the night he should be OK. And he is! I later found out that when the Mesquite Animal Control removed him from the car they thought he was dead. When they picked up his body he opened his eyes!"
 And Maeleska wrote, "He has fully recovered and now is neutered and vaccinated. ...
"Even though our rescue, DFW Furgotten Friends, does only dogs, he became our dog/cat and is up for adoption. Because he spent months at my house he loves dogs and thinks he's a dog! He is so happy and a typical cat except he thinks he's a dog!
"He is very special to me so the adopter will have to be pretty special, too!
"Lorenzo has been with me for a week. He is a 2 month old, 5 pound Chiweenie that is a sweet boy but a wild man!! He is very active and will need to go to a home that is just as active. I would love it if someone would adopt them together!"

That DFW Furgotten Friends link is https://dfwfgf.org . You can click on the available adorables and see their photos. CONTEMPLATIONS
PROTECTING
 FAIR PARK FROM TIME & NEGLECT
This photograph by our pal Myra Moore, a leading fan of Fair Park, was used on the Opinion's page in Sunday's edition of The Dallas Morning News. Note the crack running through the right side of the painting. This time-damaged work of art illustrates one of the needs cited in Myra's article. It's an appeal to sensibly, wisely, respectfully protect the city-owned park, home to so many beloved Dallas attractions and events. 
Myra's blog endorsing the protection of Fair Park is restorefairparkdallas.com.
At that site you can see photos Myra took of familiar places in the park -- and maybe some that are unfamiliar, too, if you never enjoyed the nearly year-round free entry at Fair Park to look at the magnificent Art Deco buildings.  That art work? Here's the caption on the website; "Mural of a harvest scene on exterior of Hall of Agriculture (now Food and Fiber Pavilion)." 
On the website you can see how Myra firmly, artistically links an era nearly 100 years ago to our own present and the future of a park with a history. She writes, "The artworks created for the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition were made by accomplished artists and crafts people from across the United States. Not all the artworks built for the Exposition were preserved. Some buildings were demolished and several still standing have murals hidden under a coat of paint. Others, like the harvest scene above are in disrepair. Among the buildings demolished after the Centennial closed late in 1936 was The Hall of Negro Life, which included works of Harlem Renaissance artists such as acclaimed muralist Aaron Douglas."
[LARRY ASIDE: Today, Fair Park is home to a fascinating attraction, the African American Museum of Dallas. I've visited it -- it will move you if you have even the slightest understanding of American, Texas and local history.]
You'll find an "about" passage regarding our pal Myra and this "Restore Fair Park" passion on the blog at https://www.restorefairparkdallas.com/about
Here's the text: "Restore Fair Park, created by former journalist Myra Moore, focuses on the story of the Dallas, Texas, 277-acre city park and site of the annual State Fair of Texas. A long-time Dallas resident, Moore has photographed the buildings built in the park for the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition, as well as researched the 137-year history of one of the city’s most important civic and cultural touchstones."
 There's more on the blog and you can respond, make suggestions and offer support for the mission.
As the site says: Fair Park is "more than a place to preserve. It is a place to keep alive."

--- Offer ideas and support by clicking on 'comment' below or by emailing [email protected]. ---