Council supports dog parks

Council has formally thrown its support behind dog parks for the region and will now explore potential locations, sizes and design.

It comes on the back of community consultation that saw almost 93 per cent of respondents endorse the benefits of dog parks.

Council yesterday gave approval to progress the project after considering public feedback, which attracted 435 responses. Key themes related to providing a safe environment for dogs, dog socialisation and ideas for locations, which favoured a north and south park.

Mayor Bob Sloane said Council would now work with stakeholders to refine concepts, including infrastructure and costings.

“The data indicated that people’s top priorities include fencing, water availability, bins and doggie bags, and to a lesser extent shelter and seating,” he said.

“Most people have indicated that a medium sized park – around 3000 square metres – is preferred with safe spaces for larger dogs, separate from smaller dogs.

“These are all factors that will be considered so we can fully understand the costs and work alongside key stakeholders to get the best outcome for our community.”

A report detailing the options will return to a future Council meeting.