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The City of Victoria's Paws in Parks program has been developed to balance and accommodate the needs of all park users, including dogs. For many years, Dallas Road and Gonzales Beach were the only two areas in Victoria where dogs were allowed off-leash. The Dogs in Parks Steering Committee that was struck in January 2004, developed the Paws in Parks program with the community over a 15-month period. The main goals of the program are to provide sufficient off-leash access to accommodate the needs of dogs owners to exercise their pets; to reduce the congestion of dogs and their owners along Dallas Road; to ensure the basic needs of other parks users are not unduly compromised by new off-leash areas, and to reduce illegal off-leash activities in other Victoria parks. Paws in Parks Sites In June 2005, six designated off-leash areas were opened in the following parks: Alexander, Arbutus, Oswald, Redfern, Topaz and Vic West. The following year, the Dogs in Parks Steering Committee, surveyed these communities to evaluate the impact of the off-leash program and based on these findings, recommended that opportunities for additional off-leash sites be investigated. This past spring, the steering committee reviewed a number of potential sites and determined that Pemberton Park, Banfield Park, Songhees Hilltop Park and Fisherman's Wharf Park warranted further discussion. After consulting with the communities of Fairfield/Gonzales, Victoria West and James Bay, the majority of feedback indicated overall support for the creation of off-leash areas in three of the four proposed parks. New Paws in Parks Sites Building on the success of the City's existing Paws in Parks program, City Council has approved the addition of three new dog off-leash sites within City parks. The three new locations and times are:
Paws in Parks sites have specific areas and times for dogs to exercise off-leash, provided they remain under their owner's control and that owners carry a leash with them at all times. With the exception of designated off-leash areas and private property, all dogs must be on a leash in the City of Victoria. At each new site, Paws in Parks signage, a trash bin and a dispenser stocked with biodegradable doggie bags will be installed. Ongoing monitoring and maintenance of the existing off-leash area in Topaz Park over the least two years, demonstrates that impacts to an off-leash play field are minimal. For More Information:
Paws in Parks signs have been installed in parks to clearly outline the designated area where dogs can play off-leash. To view the area specific to each park, view the links below:
No dogs, other than certified assistance dogs, are allowed, on-leash or off-leash, in the following areas defined as:
Feedback: To provide comment or ask questions about the program, please Email us. Useful links:
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