A beautiful creek, with spawning salmon has been turned into a dog park.
The trails that follow the creek are off leash and at the end of the park adjoining Bateman road is a full fenced dog park.
This area is also a catch basin to prevent flooding. Guess where the dogs are when their area is flooded.
Many of their owners use the soccer fields as a dog run although there is clear signage no dogs on fields.
I have lived near Stoney Creek/Bateman Park for over 32 years. When it first became an off-leash park there was no problem but now it is out of control.
On weekends and holidays the parking lot is filled with “dog parents,” and bylaws ignored.
At one point the parks department had to put up signs telling the dog park users that the furniture they had placed in the park had to be removed by a certain date.
I have a feeling that the city did the removal.
Tax dollars could be spent on better things than cleaning up after irresponsible park users.
There is a plastic patio chair placed beside a bench along the trail.
I assume the park bench is for anyone to use but most of the time is occupied by dogs and their owners.
Yes, the dogs are sitting on the “dog parent’s” lap as they visit with others who are blocking the trail with their dogs.
I don’t mind people walking dogs, if the dog is under control or leashed. I don’t think it is cute to have a dog come jumping up at me, much less sniffing me.
We once owned a dog, I walked it, cleaned up after it, and trained it not to jump up on people.
At Christmas time a woman walking her dog (on leash) on the “off leash trail” had her dog attacked by another dog.
The man owning the attacking dog told her that it was her fault the dog attack because it was an off leash park and her dog was leashed. Go figure? The woman’s vet bill was $250.
The man refused to give his name and told the woman to call the police he would wait. But, when he realized she was doing just that he left with dog and toddler.
Is there a human-only park in Abbotsford?
Gloria Nourse, Abbotsford
