Off Leash Dog ParkS-FINALLY!
 

Our town issued a public notice in today's paper advising of a Public Open House to be held on July 27th for assessing a variety of parks in which to install the Town's first off leash dog park(s).

I have been studying numerous websites on how to establish an off leash park along with it's advantages and disadvantages.

Just wanting to know if there are any members here that belong to a dog park organization or who have participated in the establishment of an off leash park?

I know I will be attending this meeting to give my support but would like to see if anyone here can give any input be it good or bad. :lightbulb:

Thanks a bunch! :thumbs up

Oh, excellent, klm!! Good luck at the hearing! Don't have any advice for you, though :o

I'm on the board of a volunteer organization that has helped established Richmond Hill's first dog park. It took a long while, but eventually a pilot project was approved. Were still currently in the trial stages, but it's been going pretty well. There is a number of people currently petitioning to close the park, mostly locals who have been against it since the start. It's always the 'not in my backyard!' philosophy...

I'm not sure what kind of input to give. I personally can't bring my dogs to the park because they aren't suitable for the environment, but I'm still a strong supporter of having a park available and still offer my time to volunteer with it. Many people don't have any areas to let their dogs run and play, and it's important to their health to be able to get the activity and socialization. A dog park is definitely an asset to any city! Not only for the dogs, but for the community it can bring together.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

We have a website at [url]www.rhk9klub.ca/[/url] if you want to check it out.

In our city the parks chosen for off leash dog parks have been near a sewage treatment plant and on a flood plain. because of this, there are very few people living close by, and the occasional barking disturbs fewer people. Maybe put parks with similar locations at the top of your list, as there will be fewer people using them, or living nearby to complain.

Oh wow [B]Spatx[/B], great website! Saw Nova's picture too! :thumbs up

Lots of helpful/useful information and will be sure to jot down some good pointers. :thumbs up

[B]ownedbycats[/B]; I guess I will find out at the meeting which parks the town wants to propose. There is an old run down baseball field around the corner from my house that hasn't been used in years but is completely fenced in already. Not sure what the surrounding neighbors would think of it being an off leash park but am curious to see if it's in the running. :shrug:

Thanks for the input. :thumbs up

I'm lucky in that our off leash parks were established before I ever got a dog.
Dogs who regularly play and socialize at off leash parks are less aggressive, better socialized, less likely to bite or attack and less likely to sit in their yards and bark eleventeen hours a day.
We have them all over, including right smack in the middle of residential areas. Any complaints usually come from dogs running into the street (which we can't stop as the city refuses to fence parks) and people not cleaning up poop. It's WAY quieter than the soccer pitches to the north, or any of the schools. Barking just isn't an issue. Most dogs are too busy to bark.
Congrats klmccallum, hope it goes well. The dogs will thank you for it.

Ours is an old soccer field that is 95% fenced and very large. No amenities besides picnic tables and poopbag garbage holders--and a few signs designating the area as off leash--must have social dogs and must pick up after them. The town is not about to spend anything on it, and there is no association--they designated it and it is what it is. They mow the grass and fill in gopher holes. We are grateful for that much. I would like to see an association formed but for the most part the park is self policing well thus far.
Congrats for getting one going there--they are wonderful for socializing as long as there are dog savvy people around to help the newbies.

Update!!!
 

My neighbor (the Mayor:D) dropped off the contingency plan today!

Gryphon had a slight little chew when it came through the mail slot but was otherwise legible. :D

There are 5 parks identified with one of them being in walking distance from my neighborhood. Whoot Whoot! :crazy:

The town's plans look very well organized and our neighborhood location would be ideal with no houses backing onto it other than an all ready "on-leash" park and railroad museum! :thumbs up

[SIZE="5"][I][COLOR="Red"]If we build it...they will come! :pray:[/COLOR][/I][/SIZE]

WHOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The dogs will be the big winners, with the much-needed offleash exercise and socialization, but the owners will win big too!
Congrats!

Been very busy communicating with Mayor and Town Councillor and I prepared a nice flyer today. :thumbs up

Made about 50 copies, packed them in a back pack with a roll of scotch tape, leashed up Gryphon & Mollie and we went for an evening stroll down to the old part of Town this evening.

I taped a flyer on every business door, up and down the street in hopes that the store owners will display the flyer in their windows to show their support.

I think for our next walk, I'm gonna take Gryphon & Mollie out of their normal route and walk to the suggested park area just to see how long it takes to walk there and back. :thumbs up

So our next walk turned into a change of plans. :yell:

With the unpredicted Monsoon, the flyers I posted were all water damaged and did not clearly make the point. :frustrated:

Uh-ha!!! PAGE PROTECTORS! :lightbulb:

Slipped more flyers in page protectors and packed my [B][I][U]staple gun[/U][/I][/B]! :thumbs up

Two dogs on separate leashes with a back pack of flyers and a staple gun. [B][I]"Gryphon...sit, Mollie...sit." [/I][/B]

Reached into back pack (of course people and cars passing by), I'm standing in front of telephone polls with my page protected flyers and staple gun in one hand and 2 dogs anxiously wanting to move forward in the other! :laughing:

Ran into neighbors that are excited about the park whilst stapling and trying to control Gryphon & Mollie!

Gosh I'm lovin it! :thumbs up

Trying to build a new "Today's Posts". :cool:

Walked Gryphon & Mollie over to the "potential" dogpark last evening. It was about a 20 minute walk there but, a good one.

On the way home, we stopped in front of a house that puts out a bucket of water for dogs passing by. Great idea! :lightbulb:

I think we're gonna take this route to the park instead of an alternative! :thumbs up

DoubleRR....
mmm sounds suspiciously like we use the same park!
It ain't much but I am so grateful to have it.
klm, congrats on your new park!:D

[QUOTE=Etown_Chick;939338]DoubleRR....
mmm sounds suspiciously like we use the same park!
It ain't much but I am so grateful to have it.
klm, congrats on your new park!:D[/QUOTE]

Maybe it's an Alberta thing...or you commute to it a long way...or you live a lot closer than you let on..:laughing:

Now wouldn't that be a coincident if Etown & DRR did visit the same park! :)

Attended the open house tonight and spoke with the Manager of Parks and Open Spaces Development along with a couple Councillors.

Their plan is to leave Public comments available for another week then table it to Town Council by mid-August.

They have had an overwhelming response, mostly positive. A few people showed up tonight expressing their concerns of having one near their houses. This is good cause if they don't want one in their neighborhood, chances of us getting one in ours stand more favourable. :thumbs up Our end of town is all gun-hoe from the conversations I have had with neighbors and local residents.

The town's goal is to have a location designated and the construction contract put out to tender by the beginning to mid September.

[I][B][font="Comic Sans MS"][size=5][COLOR="Magenta"]Woooo[/COLOR][COLOR="Purple"]Hoooooooo![/COLOR][/size][/font] [/B][/I] :highfive:

Just [I]one[/I] location, though?

[QUOTE=hazelrunpack;939892][I][B][font="Comic Sans MS"][size=5][COLOR="Magenta"]Woooo[/COLOR][COLOR="Purple"]Hoooooooo![/COLOR][/size][/font] [/B][/I] :highfive:

Just [I]one[/I] location, though?[/QUOTE]

The Councillor's I spoke with feel very optimistic in that they would like to see other ones implemented within the town in the future but are testing 1 location for now.

They said the response has been overwhelming since the announcement so who knows.

Perhap they'll choose the most favourable location now and consider public comments from the other locations later on down the road. :shrug:

Any idea where your spot ranks so far? :fingerscr :D

One dog park is a good start! If it goes well, and I'm sure it will, getting more parks will be a piece of cake!

[QUOTE=hazelrunpack;939899]Any idea where your spot ranks so far? :fingerscr :D[/QUOTE]

We're suspecting it's the first one being considered however; with the public comment being open for another week, this could change. I'm going to stay on top of it with my councillor and the mayor. :thumbs up

[B]Etown:[/B] The Manager of Parks & Open Space Development feels confident (given the positive responses) that another one will be implemented in another location somewhere else in town later on. I think our town wants to jump on the band wagon with the sign of the times and keep growing our friendly community. :thumbs up

Sending along some more :goodvibes: that your spot is chosen!!! :fingerscr Will you know right away after public comment is done which location has been chosen, or will you have to wait till the next council meeting?

[QUOTE=hazelrunpack;940142]Sending along some more :goodvibes: that your spot is chosen!!! :fingerscr Will you know right away after public comment is done which location has been chosen, or will you have to wait till the next council meeting?[/QUOTE]

I'm hoping that we'll find out within the next week or so but I'm suspecting we'll hear official announcement at the next council meeting, mid August.

Walked Gryph & Mollie there again today. I was thinking how great it would be to strap on a back back carrying a container of icecubed water and a couple of Kong tennis balls for when we get there. :thumbs up Still hearing lots of praise from local residence on placing in our neighborhood. :)