Tantramar council has voted overwhelmingly against a plan to create a fenced in dog park in Sackville which would have cost just under $11,000.
At Tuesday’s regular council meeting, Active Living director Matt Pryde pitched a new location for the proposed dog park, in the field behind the Civic Centre. That change satisfied concerns raised at a February meeting about the small size of the previously-proposed Dufferin Street location, and its proximity to a school and a daycare.
But though councillors thanked Pryde for finding a second location, all but two–Councillors Debbie Wiggins Colwell and Allison Butcher–voted down the proposal.
Councillors cited concerns with disease spreading between animals, potentials for fights and injuries, and dog feces being left by irresponsible dog owners.
Councillor Allison Butcher was the first to speak on the proposal, and the only councillor to speak in favour of the project.
“The community has been requesting a dog park for a lot of years now, and we have never managed to find a space and a place and the funds,” said Butcher, but she was a fan of the proposed Civic Centre location. “There’s no concerns like we had with the other one. It’s already partially fenced. It’s still within walking distance. It’s a larger space,” said Butcher. “I really like this.”
Councillor Michael Tower acknowledged there was a demand for the park from resident dog owners, but ultimately saw too many down sides. “I do have my concerns after speaking with some vets who are apprehensive about it,” said Tower. “Especially when you think, who’s going to clean it up? Who’s going to monitor that [users are] following the rules? [Canine parvovirus] is one of the biggest problems with dog parks. And then there’s the liability if one dog happens to tear another one apart.”
Councillors Bruce Phinne and Barry Hicks echoed concerns about responsibilities for clean up, which Pryde said would be ultimately handled by parks staff, as with other parks in the municipality. Pryde also said there would be signs posted with rules for the park, and bags available for dog owners to clean up after their animals.
“We have bags down around the walking trails down here, everywhere,” said Hicks, “and if you walk around the trails, it’s not being cleaned up at all. So I’m worried about that aspect of it.”
Tantramar’s new manager of Active Living and Culture, Jamie Ferguson, was on hand to answer some concerns, and said he had been responsible for managing nine dog parks in his former position with Mississauga. “We saw no health issues,” said Ferguson. ”I think if it is a concern here, we would work with the local veterinarians, and if we saw an increase in disease transmission, we could always close the park down until that cleared.”
Ferguson said a code of conduct sign would outline acceptable animal behaviours. “And that’s where we would look to our bylaw officers and our animal control officers to help enforce that as well,” said Ferguson.
But ultimately the arguments against the new dog park won the day with most councillors.
Councillor Matt Estabrooks closed off discussion by saying that in addition to his concerns about disease and aggression, he felt the project was just too low of a priority.
“It almost seems like a make-work project for us,” said Estabrooks. “We have so many natural areas around here where you can walk your dog and exercise your dog, but we’re actually fencing in an area, and now we’re talking about the hardships with managing the waste and keeping an eye on, and implementing a program, putting up signage… I feel we’ve probably got other things to do.”
Councillors quashed the proposed $10,910 expenditure to fence in the field behind the Civic Centre in a 7 to 2 vote.
Right after that vote, council approved a $126,000 expense to purchase a new dehumidifier for the Civic Centre.
