A leash-free dog park is an idea that’s time has come, Woolwich councillors heard this week, seemingly taking the concept to heart. Following a presentation Tuesday night by Elmira resident Lyric Pauley, owner of ShamPoochies Dog Grooming, council asked staff to look into the proposal. Going beyond her call for a dog park in Elmira, councillors added St. Jacobs to the list.
Pauley pitched the off-leash facility as a safe place for dogs to run, noting that the more dogs exercise the less likely they are to exhibit unwanted behaviour such as barking, whining, digging and the like. Having an official park would reduce the number of incidents whereby dog owners let their dogs run freely where they’re not supposed to, she added.
Asked by Coun. Mark Bauman about a potential spot in Elmira, Pauley suggested Bolender Park, which offers a large open area, some tree cover and plenty of parking.
Bauman spoke in favour of the concept – he suggested a dog park in St. Jacobs back in 2009, though he couldn’t get other councillors on board at the time – but expressed concerns about the cost, especially if fencing needs to be installed. His original plan for St. Jacobs involved the creation of an informal space for dog owners by cutting a path through some township-owned land near the Health Valley Trail.
