Dogs may soon be able to run free in the Chase as the village searches for appropriate grounds for an off-leash dog park.
Chase Village Council were looking for a resolution that will make everyone happy after a number of complaints were brought forward regarding dogs in Memorial Park.
While a number of these complaints were directed towards off-leash dogs, corporate officer Larry Randle says that generally most people have their dogs on a leash in Memorial park during the summer months.
As the councillors discussed at the committee of the whole meeting on Sept. 4, however, it is the few dogs wandering on their own, that have been causing problems for some.
The village does have a bylaw officer in place who tries to enforce the rules that have been set in place, however, with only 12 hours a week they can’t be everywhere.
“I don’t think we could ever have a bylaw officer to work enough hours to get all the violators,” says Rick Berrigan, Chase Council member. “Even trainers go down with their dogs and take them off their leash in the park to train them.”
Randle describes instances during the summer where the by-law officer approached a number of people and explained to them that their dogs needed to be on a leash while in the park.
“They then got mad and came into the office,” explains Randle.
Randle pointed out that from his own experience visiting the park, he has noticed that many people tend to use the far end of the beach for throwing a ball to their dog in the water.
“This area is technically out of the park boundary,” says Randle, suggesting the area could potentially be kept for this purpose.
Bringing the dogs to the end of the beach area keeps the animals away from the majority of the park population, while still allowing them to have access to the water and area to run around.
Councilor Leppsoe also suggested having the park divided into areas where dogs could go off leash as well as an designated area that remains dog-free.
This would, for instance, ban dogs from the playground area where children are playing, as well as some of the areas surround the playground, but leave another portion of the park dog friendly.
While it seems as though an off-leash park might not be feasible in Memorial Park, the option was not turned down by the councillors who requested more information on other possible locations around Chase.
A number of the council members agreed that the residents of Chase, and their canine companions, could benefit from an off-leash park, a place a where dogs could run freely without affecting bystanders.
Patrick Regush, supervisor of works, suggests that Mill Park may be a potential option for off-leash location as it is already completely fenced in.
The park was originally built as a sewage overflow area but has since be adapted as a ball diamond as well.
Regush says he does not suggest closing down the ball field, but rather have dog owners work around the ball schedule, opting to stay away while a game is in progress.
“We could make the park multi-purpose,” says Regush.
Mayor Anderson agreed with this idea, stating that he is aware of ball diamonds in Victoria that have done the same thing.
The mayor suggested that if the village were to go that route, it could close down the park to dogs for two months of the year during ball season.
Councillors decided at the Tuesday, Sept. 11 council meeting that they would like to see an off-leash park installed in the area, but require more information before a decision could be made.
