I am voicing my disappointment with town council’s March 13 unanimous decision to reject the plans for the new off leash dog park north of Quigley Drive.
The now rejected location, as is the now potential location south of Quigley Drive, is a windblown trash gathering eye sore when driving into Cochrane. The proposed park would have at least improved an ugly stretch of land that “welcomes” visitors to town.
I never thought it was an ideal location, but it was better than not having a dedicated off leash park at all, which is something a town this size is sadly and strangely lacking. I also felt that the timing of the town’s announcement of the new proposed park was odd since it has apparently been on the books since 2012.
Five years to come up with an idea for a dog park? It seemed to me town council was throwing a bone to placate dog park users for the proposed bridge that will dissect some of the best parts of the existing multi-user off-leash park.
It is disingenuous for town council to accept the argument that the new dedicated off-leash park will have a negative impact on traffic in the area. This is a town council that endlessly promotes and approves development yet few changes have been made to improve a road system that cannot support any more growth. This town council needs to be proactive instead of reactive by making it a requirement of developers to not shoehorn dwelling units into every piece of available land and leave space for off-leash dog parks in new neighborhoods. This is, after all, a town that promotes itself as a family-friendly community yet seemingly forgets that many families come with dogs.
What dismays me the most, however, is the casual disregard the town has for its own process by rejecting the proposal before the public consultation process was even closed. It leaves a bad taste and suggests that the public consultation was a waste of money as the decision to reject the location seemingly had already been made. Of even further concern, Mayor Ivan Brooker reportedly met with residents who would be impacted by the park, yet the same opportunity was not offered to dog park users.
This demonstrates a continuation of what seems to be disdain, if not outright contempt, for dog park users in Cochrane. I recommend in the spirit of transparency that the results of the now closed public consultation be proactively disclosed on the town’s website and in the local newspapers. Perhaps the public consultation results will tell a different story.
Mayor Brooker and members of council may have captured a few votes in the next election; I however, can assure you that none of the incumbents will be getting mine.
Sandy Chilton
