Vancouver will have some new options for dog owners in the coming months.
The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation has approved three off-leash area (OLA) designs in popular areas of the city, including the "renewal and expansion of the existing dog off-leash area at Emery Barnes Park, in the Downtown area, and two new OLAs at Heather Park, in South Cambie, and Granville Park, in Fairview," according to a news release.
The new designs will benefit a range of different canine personalities, including energetic pups that crave challenging workouts, to shy, timid doggos that prefer a quiet area separate from their more rambunctious peers.
The Park Board approved the re-imagined green space plans at its meeting on Monday, June 26, which have been shaped by the feedback from over 3000 people who responded to a call-out for suggestions.
“With Vancouver’s dog population growing, it’s more important than ever to balance the needs of our park visitors,” says Tiina Mack, Director of Park Planning and Development at the Vancouver Park Board.
“We recognize the benefits of increasing the number of dog off-leash areas across the city, particularly in fostering community, supporting healthy activity and social wellbeing and reducing potential conflict between park users. We’re delighted to progress this important work and continue growing our network of dog-friendly greenspaces.”
The re-imagined parks will help serve five priority neighbourhoods identified in the Park Board’s People, Parks and Dogs strategy: Mount Pleasant, Fairview, Kitsilano, Downtown, and the West End.
The Park Board staff will now begin "preparing detailed designs and construction tender packages" for the off-leash parks and explore options for expanding its park network.
Emery Barnes Park
Dog owners will have more space to enjoy running around with Fido or playing fetch, as plans for the off-leash area at Emery Barnes Park will increase the amount of open space. The Park Board will also add an "agility area, diverse seating, and more trees and shrubbery to create a more visually appealing space" to the downtown park. Doing this will also help keep parts of the park cool and mitigate noise from it.
Have a small pooch or one that is a bit on the shy side?
The park will have an additional, 200 square metre area specifically for demure doggos and smaller pups, which will incorporate materials and features used in the main off-leash area, including pet-friendly synthetic turf.
Heather Park
The new 1,200 square metre off-leash area at Heather Park in South Cambie, located along the western edge of the park, will offer open running space, which was one of the most requested features during public engagement; it will also offer fun agility features for dogs and seating for all park users.
Granville Park
Granville Park's design has two fenced off-leash areas, separated by an existing walking path. Both spaces are designed to "maximize open running space and offer agility features for dogs and benches for all park visitors."
The main area is 1,600 square metres and will be "located on the southern portion of the lawn, next to the tennis courts."
An additional 600 square metre area will be located in the southern area of the park and will offer space for small or shy dogs.
The city comments on responsible dog ownership
While dogs are welcome in all of Vancouver's parks, they must be on a leash unless they are in one of the designated dog off-leash areas. Additionally, dogs are only allowed at beaches with designated off-leash areas.
The city enforces these rules throughout the year and infractions are subject to fines of up to $2,000.
All dogs and service dogs over three months of age must also have a license which should be renewed annually. Dog license data helps support planning for new and renewed off-leash areas across the city, among other benefits.
