Brendan Madigan: Council needs to relax

My girlfriend and I recently decided to celebrate our graduations from Meredith College and N.C. State, respectively, by taking a day to enjoy the wonderful weather in our hammocks in Lake Johnson Park.

Our fun was ruined when the park rangers told us to take down our hammocks since hanging them from trees is outlawed under a city ordinance. While I understand the concerns about the health of trees, there are many ways to responsibly hammock without damaging the ecosystem.

The City Council should come up with a balanced solution that protects the ecosystem without restricting the enjoyment of these spaces.

As someone who enjoys the outdoors, I could not be more disappointed in the actions of the City Council. Concerned residents should write their councilpersons so they can go back to the drawing board and craft a more common-sense solution.

This story was originally published May 30, 2016 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Brendan Madigan: Council needs to relax."