29 July 2017

How your dog park fares in upgrading program

| Ian Bushnell
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dog park sign

Canberra’s pampered pooches and their owners will have plenty to bark about when their favourite dog parks are upgraded over the next month or so and work starts on a new one in Duffy.

The ACT’s off-leash dog parks are to be given a $200,000 makeover based on feedback from the community consultation conducted earlier in the year.

Minister for Transport and City Services Meegan Fitzharris said improvements such as more water, shade and seating would make the ACT’s six dog parks safer and more comfortable for people and their pets.

“More than 580 people left feedback during community engagement between April and May this year which provided the Government with enough information to make improvements where they are needed,” she said.

“Canberra’s six dog parks will each receive minor improvements to fix high priority issues the community identified like site access, drinking water, ground erosion, seating and shade.”

The improvements include:

  • Belconnen: two new water stations, eight new shade trees and resurfacing of bare-ground areas.
  • Casey: new water station and four mature trees to improve access to shade.
  • Forde: a new perimeter fence, entry enclosure and vehicle access gate for more efficient maintenance. Parts of Forde’s dog exercise equipment will also be removed, based on the advice from dog behaviour specialists. Forde’s existing seating will be replaced with new seats.
  • Tuggeranong: a new entry path will be constructed, which will include screen planting to reduce conflict between the small and large dog enclosures. Tuggeranong will also have two new water stations and 10 new trees to improve access to shade.
  • Yarralumla: remediation of erosion, better fences and entry enclosure and two new water stations.
  • O’Connor: 11 new trees to increase access to shade.

The work at each of the dog parks will take place from now until the end of August.

“We also look forward to the Weston Creek Dog Park in Duffy being built over the coming months,” the Minister said

The Duffy site (below) is at the corner of Eucumbene Drive and Warragamba Avenue. The Weston Creek Community Council said the site was equally accessible to Weston Creek and Molonglo residents, connected to adjacent recreation areas at Narrabundah Hill and Mount Stromlo Forest Park, and was able to be securely fenced and provide a buffer to nearby residents.

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