Dogs and their owners can rejoice at the tail-wagging prospect of a new off-leash park.
Victoria city council, sitting as committee of the whole, has given initial approval to designating Barnard Park a B次元官网网址渓eash-optionalB次元官网网址� park, bordering Esquimalt at Barnard Avenue and Esquimalt Road, as a pilot project last week. The new park will be the fifth off-leash dog park in the area, joining Banfield, Victoria West, Songhees-Hillside, and Highrock Parks.
But Coun. Charlayne Thornton-Joe was adamant the park be designated B次元官网网址渓eash-optional,B次元官网网址� not B次元官网网址渙ff-leash.B次元官网网址� She said the distinction is important because for her, having dogs off-leash is a privilege, not a right.
B次元官网网址淣ot every dog should be off-leash,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e not a responsible owner, you shouldnB次元官网网址檛 have your dog off leash, even in a leash-optional area.B次元官网网址�
By responsible, she means owners need to pick up after their dogs, train them to come when called and not jump up.
As for untrained puppies, she said the owner is still responsible for how they behave.
B次元官网网址淚f your puppy is not at that point, it goes to training and keeping a dog on leash until itB次元官网网址檚 able to do that,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淧uppies are the cutest things, and who doesnB次元官网网址檛 love a puppy? But there are people who have allergies to dogs, people who have had bad experiences with dogs who donB次元官网网址檛 want dogs near them.
B次元官网网址淚 love dogs: I am a big dog lover, but I really believe in responsible ownership and being able to exercise your dog in a leash-optional area is a privilege, not a right.B次元官网网址�
Coun. Geoff Young said although there are other off-leash parks close by, having an off-leash park in that area will benefit people with disabilities or who donB次元官网网址檛 have a car.
He also added whenever a new park is designated off-leash, it becomes heavily-used.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 fairly clear we do want to have off-leash areas. People with dogs really value them. People will bring their dogs from far afield. We have seen that in other areas of the city,B次元官网网址� Young said, adding not everyone will welcome on off-leash area to the park.
B次元官网网址淲e have to arrive at a balance for people who have dogs and want off-leash areas to be conveniently reached, and people who may not want a park with off-leash dogs: people who are fearful (of dogs), for example.B次元官网网址�
The park is expected to be available for off-leash use Sept.1.
