Edmonton dog owners worry about future of off-leash parks

With the city set to develop a new, 10-year policy to deal with off-leash dog parks, Thursday was the deadline for people to have their say about what that future might look like.

The city will review all 41 designated off-leash parks. One idea under consideration is fencing the parks, another is finding some way to separate dogs from joggers and cyclists.

The city conducted workshops and posted an online survey to gather public feedback. The consultation period ended Thursday, and many dog owners say they didn't even know the issue was under review.

To spread the word, one anonymous dog owner tacked up posters in several parks around the city, warning people that changes are coming.

Dog owner Mike Medicoffwas out for a walk with his dog in Mill Creek on Thursday. He saidhe didn't know off-leash parks were under review. He likes the idea of fences but wonders how that would work.

"A lot of cyclists go through here. And sometimes they collide. Is it necessarily a bad idea? No. But I don't know how you would enforce it, how you would control it."

Public consultation was done through a specialwebsite, and by the use of electronic signs, magnetic signs near off-leash areas and newspaper ads, said NicoleFraserwith the city.Staff alsowent to six largest off-leash parks to talk to users.

"As part of the draftdesignguidelines, there are suggestions for how to reduce conflict in areas that could have different users," she said.

Rowena Eger just got a dog and is new to off-leash parks. She saw the anonymous notice on the Mill Creek bulletin board.

"It made me anxious," she said. "Because it would suck to lose these parks."

Eger said she is worried about the future of the parks and intended to go home and check out the online survey. The deadline to fill out the survey is 10 p.m. Thursday.

The city hopes by this fall to have guidelines in place to deal with the locations, design and management of off-leash parks.