Dogs need their own places to play and frolic just as much as humans, Pierre Perreault, chair of the off-Leash Dog Park/Area project, said. His group, a subcommittee of the Minnow Lake Community Action Network, recently made a presentation to city council’s policy committee.

The group is asking the city to develop a piece of city-owned land in Ward 11, at the corner of Donna Drive and Second Avenue, into an off-leash place for dogs to be exercised. The area would be fenced and divided into two areas — one for larger dogs and the other for smaller canines. Waste bins would be available for collecting feces.

Perreault said a lot of citizen effort, consultation and research has gone into the idea.

“This has been a community endeavour,” Perreault said.

There has been a Facebook group with more than 100 members discussing the matter since 2007. He said a postcard survey conducted in May found 79.5 per cent of Minnow Lake residents supported the idea.

The site being proposed is quite large and, because it was a former gravel pit, is considered unfit for building purposes, he added. The property is currently vacant.

John Lindsay, chair of the Minnow Lake CAN, said his group had been looking at the site for a number of years for other possible uses, such as a soccer field or other recreational activities.

“Leisure Services told us it was not suitable for (those uses),” he said. “The dog park was about the only use we could think of for the site.”

Though Greater Sudbury has no dog parks of the kind Perreault proposes — and no framework to encourage them — he said they are popular elsewhere. “There are 125 dog parks in 35 cities in Ontario. Toronto has 35 within its parks and there are plans underway for another 50. Elliot Lake already has its first off-leash dog park.”

He said dog owners want to be treated as fairly for the provision of city services as much as anyone else.

However, Ward 5 Coun. Ron Dupuis said he was not ready to support the idea without the costs indicated for the project.

Ward 1 Coun. Joe Cimino said the first call he got after being elected was from a constituent, newly arrived in the city, asking about where the nearest dog park was. “I support this place as the spot, provided you come back with the costs at budget time,” he said.

Ward 11 Coun. Janet Gasparini said staff should find out the costs and come back to city council at budget time.
That was agreed to by councillors.

Perreault said afterwards he was pleased councillors supported the concept and were ready to move the project forward.

Lindsay said there has been interest from other CANs about the concept of a dog park.

“Even individuals are coming forward to say it is a great idea. How about my area in Azilda or Walden? Other cities have multiple dog parks. We can too.”

Lindsay dispelled what he said were myths about dog parks:

- Hordes of dogs would be unleashed in the city — untrue. He said the dog park would be fenced and owners would have to be present with the animals. 

- My child will be attacked — untrue. Most dog parks do not permit children under the age of 12 or 16 to visit, he said. 

- Dog parks will stink — untrue. Lindsay said dog owners will be more apt to pick up their dogs’ feces, as they will have a sense of ownership of the park. 

- Dog parks are costly — untrue. Other than fencing, signage and trash cans, there are few start up costs, he said.