Town council is moving ahead with the creation of Cochrane's premier dog park, with construction anticipated to begin this summer.
Town council is moving ahead with the creation of Cochrane's premier dog park, with construction anticipated to begin this summer.
Mayor Ivan Brooker noted that while the proposal is not perfect, it's a start to providing more off-leash spaces for the 4,300 and counting licensed dogs in Cochrane.
Suzanne Gaida, senior manager of community services for the town, said council's additional request to add secure fencing to the off-leash area in Riverfront Park should appeal to dog park users advocating for additional spaces.
Members of the recently-formed grassroots Off Leash Advocacy Group (OLAG) who presented to council earlier that evening - imploring council to scrap the proposed site and opt for the initial proposal (larger and located south of Quigley Drive) - are taking the town's decision in stride and hoping it will open up the lines of communication between dog park users and the town.
“It's the start of us working with the town, ” said OLAG member Nick Heazell following the decision.
“They're recognizing that secure fencing is the number one priority, ” added member Julie Sharpe.
Other OLAG presenters who took their turn at the mic included Jacki-Lyn Parker
and Karen Falk.
The group's research indicated that comparably-sized municipalities such as Okotoks and Leduc had more adequate offerings of dog parks in relation to their respective populations.
Research conducted by OLAG revealed that 67 per cent of off-leash areas in Calgary back onto residential properties.
Their research, which included three online polls, overwhelmingly revealed support for secure fencing and a low onus placed on a small dog/puppy training area - which is included in the approved park.
The new park will be located south of Quigley Drive through to West Rock Road and in front of the fast food restaurants and motels that line Highway 22 and will utilize the existing parking lots of the adjacent soccer fields.
The town's engagement with business stakeholders revealed concern from the restaurants that their parking lots would become congested with park users, but administration does not believe this will be the case.
According to Gaida, it is unlikely people would climb the four-foot high fences. Access to the park would have to be from the entrances.
Coun. Gaynor Levisky questioned whether the four-foot height would be sufficient at containing dogs. Coun. Mary Lou Eckmeier advised that her research indicated this height was the seemingly acceptable standard.
There is $310,000 left in the $330,000 park budget. While the cost estimates for additional fencing is still needed, Gaida said the budget for the park itself is projected at $248,000 - including benches, trees, berming, pathway paving, garbage cans and staging areas at either end.
The new site was selected earlier this spring, following backlash from some West Valley residents who would back onto the initially proposed location - which was identified through the town's Open Spaces Master Plan in 2012.
Some of these residents barked at the potential traffic congestion in their neighbourhood. Additional concerns included potential property devaluation; and safety concerns resulting from the build of a parking lot.
Those in favour of the original site countered that the landscaping, including tree buffer, pathway paving and general beautification of the somewhat unkempt existing lands would improve, not devalue, those properties.
This prompted the formation of OLAG - that felt that council was pandering to the whims of the few and not looking out for the many.
The group will continue to advocate for additional dog parks and shared green spaces in town, while holding developers accountable for following through with promised spaces.
Cochrane's multi-user river pathway in the community of Riverview is currently used as the town's primary off-leash location. It has become considerably congested in recent years.
