Dog park users will soon be able to provide input for what will be Cochrane’s premiere dedicated dog park – where pooches can play at large.
Canine-owning Cochranites have long advocated for an off-leash park to reduce the mounting pressures on the existing multi-use park that is well-used by off-leash dog walkers along the Bow River pathway through the community of Riverview, and the partly off-leash area under the Bow River Bridge.
But not everyone is happy with the proposed location – west of Highway 22, north of Quigley Drive and south of the CP Rail line.
“I don’t think we have met one neighbour in favour of this,” said Lindsay Stickel, an eight-year resident whose yard would back onto the proposed dog park and whose property is located along the paved entry pathway that would be an access point.
“We’re concerned about the traffic volume on our road and beside our house,” she explained. “It’s kind of sad when you feel like your voice doesn’t really count.”
Coun. Morgan Nagel asserts that he has received feedback from at least a dozen taxpayers who are not in support of the approved capital project – budgeted at $330,000.
“There are a lot of residents who are upset about the location and the cost,” said Nagel. “When we’re looking at new dog parks we should look at putting them in new communities and not existing ones.”
The new dog park will span approximately eight acres. Included in phase one is a parking area at the north end of the West Valley community, a paved pathway, fencing, and a small dog area.
Phase two would likely include additional parking and a dog training/agility area. The second phase is not included in the 2017 budget.
Suzanne Gaida, senior manager of community services for the town, said stakeholder consultations recently concluded with the roughly 25 property owners who would back onto the park. A date for public consultations will be announced in the coming weeks.
“It’s always a challenge in an existing community,” said Gaida, confirming that the site was identified as potentially suitable around five years ago.
Stickel said she is “disappointed” to have learned about the location only two months ago. Her own research through area realtors indicates her property could devalue by up to $20,000.
Gaida said the concerns expressed by the area residents, such as adequate fencing, location of garbage cans and the park design would be taken into consideration.
For dog park advocate, Jim Uffelmann, it’s been a long time coming.
“People tend to have a sense of ownership over public lands they don’t own,” said Uffelmann with respect to some of the concerns coming forward. “(Some) people do have genuine concerns, but can we base them on facts?”
Uffelmann said he takes issue with concerns over barking dogs or depreciated property values – which he doesn’t believe is the case.
As a daily user of the river pathway park, Uffelmann said barking at the park is minimal. He added barking is more of a concern from dogs locked in yards and left unattended for long periods rather than dogs playing at the park.
For Steph Gillies, owner of Husky-German Shepherd cross, Meru, the notion of a new off-leash park is welcome.
A user of the current river pathway park, Gillies avoids the park on the weekends to avoid potential conflict that can occur when there are too many dogs, compounded by other park users such as runners and cyclists.
She is also looking forward to a space where she doesn’t have to worry about her dog running onto the ice during spring thaw.
This time last year, council rescinded a motion put forward by Coun. Jeff Toews to pilot a shared off-leash area in the community of Sunset Ridge.
The pilot sought to utilize the area north of the storm pond, across from St. Timothy High School as an off-leash area between the hours of 9 p.m. and 9 a.m.
Toews’ idea was to provide a space for dog owners in the town’s fastest growing neighbouhood for an off-leash option to help cut down on dog waste at the school site and in playgrounds.
The two-term councillor said while he understands that residents who would back onto the park have valid concerns regarding parking and traffic congestion, he does not agree with some of the negative feedback that an off-leash park would reduce property values.
“As a dog owner, I would consider it a huge value to have a dog park right where I live … people tend to be close-minded as soon as you want to do anything different in their community.”
Toews added that he anticipates a big discussion if the matter is put back before council.
