An Elk Valley council is considering building an off-leash dog park to stop pet owners breaking local bylaws.
Figures obtained from the District of Sparwood show at-large and dog-related ticketing has increased approximately 30-40 per cent each year since 2015.
In the year to May, Sparwood’s Bylaw Enforcement Officer issued eight tickets, totalling $750, and responded to two complaints of dog bites, both of which resulted in charges.
It comes as a working group investigates an off-leash dog park to provide dogs and their owners with a safe place to run, play and be social.
The Dog Park Working Group was appointed by Sparwood council in March following a community survey, which found support for the idea.
Sparwood residents are now being asked to have their say on two proposed locations: a portion of land near the cross country ski trails east of Sparwood Drive in Sparwood Heights and a portion of wooded land along Pine Avenue, north of the public works yard.
District of Sparwood Planning Assistant Jeremy Johnston said these locations were chosen for their suitability.
“The Working Group looked at a variety of locations across Sparwood, conducted site visits and compared features such as size available, ease of access, availability of parking, topography, impacts to residents, impacts to wildlife, impacts to other uses, service availability, and more,” he said.
“Working through each location, these two locations were considered by the Group to be better in most/all of these categories.”
Both areas would require work such as ground levelling and minor tree removal to provide a comfortable place for dogs to play.
The District has budgeted a total of $116,000 for capital items related to the dog park project in the 2018 and 2019 budgets.
Johnston said expenditure of these funds would require council approval once a specific project was planned.
“The Working Group is targeting an August meeting of council to have their recommendations completed for this project,” he said.
“At that point it will be up to council to decide if they want the project to move forward as recommended.”
Residents have until July 31 to respond to the survey, which will help inform the Working Group’s final recommendations to council.
It is available online at surveymonkey.com/r/HJ7LYGP or in hard copy at the Main Office (136 Spruce Avenue) and Recreation and Leisure Centre (367 Pine Avenue).
