Sooke politicians are taking action against recent rule changes requiring dogs be on leash in some regional parks.
New bylaw amendments were put in to effect by the Capital Regional District last March which included 11 regional parks where dogs are required to be on leashes at all times B次元官网网址� five of those parks are in Sooke.
The parks include: Ayum Creek Regional Park Reserve, Sea to Sea, Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park, the Sooke Potholes and the Galloping Goose Regional Trail.
B次元官网网址淭he bylaw was amended in order to meet a number of management plan objectives for those parks and regional trails, including the implementation of leash regulations,B次元官网网址� said Mike MacIntyre, acting senior manager of CRD Regional Parks.
Following the regulation changes, CRD staff started to build awareness around leash requirements for all the parks and trails through the CRD website, social media, brochures, signs and conversations with visitors in the parks.
Many Sooke residents were upset with the new regulations, and requested that the CRD explain their reasoning.
CRD staff came to council July 9, and MacIntyre explained the process of their decision to have dogs on leashes, saying it stemmed from management plans completed over the years for specific areas.
The management plan for Sooke parks started in 2006, where they held a public consultation in Sooke about issues and interests in the park, as well as a proposal to have dogs on-leash. They held more surveys and public consultations over the years in 2009, 2010, and 2016, proposing the same thing, and said most of the feedback they received favoured dogs to be on-leash.
B次元官网网址淒og management was not a big issue during the planning stages, but most of the comments we got back favoured having dogs on leashes in the parks to protect wildlife and the environment,B次元官网网址� said MacIntyre.
The CRD said though they understand SookeB次元官网网址檚 concern, the decision has already been made and it would be a long process to change the bylaw.
Sooke council wants to work out some sort of solution with the CRD to at least allow the top of the Potholes for people to have their dogs off-leash.
B次元官网网址淔rom what I got out of the discussion on [July 9] was that the main concern was with the Galloping Goose at the Potholes. So maybe we could look at working out some sort of schedule or dedicated area for people to have their dogs off-leash,B次元官网网址� said Mayor Maja Tait.
B次元官网网址淚 would understand it for the more urban areas of the Goose, but in Sooke it is so rural that I donB次元官网网址檛 think itB次元官网网址檚 a one-size-fits-all solution to require dogs be on-leash at all times.B次元官网网址�
Coun. Ebony Logins agreed, saying she is struggling with the B次元官网网址渂lanket approachB次元官网网址� that the CRD took, and thinks council needs to stand their ground and ask for something better.
B次元官网网址淭his is not acceptable,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e need to stick up for ourselves in order to have our voice heard because itB次元官网网址檚 very clear we are the only ones who will at the CRD level.B次元官网网址�
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Tait said she and council are still reflecting on the feedback that came in from the public on Monday, but they are going to draw up a motion to bring forward to the CRD, to hopefully find a resolution.
Though they have missed the deadline for the upcoming CRD Parks and Trails meeting, they hope to bring something forward to the meeting in September.
B次元官网网址淚 think this is a moving subject, and we are going to have to have a lot more discussion around it over time,B次元官网网址� said Tait.
