Who
can use the off-leash area?
Why is there fencing along the trails?
Are there any restrictions to when we can use the area?
What sort of disease can dogs pick up in the park?
Why does High Park perform controlled burns in certain areas?
Is bike riding allowed in the off-leash area?
Where does the water in Spring creek come from?
Who are the groups of children walking through the park?
Who and what is the K9 working group?
Can anything be done about the geese in the park?
Who can use the off-leash area?
Everyone! That means stopping your dog from approaching, charging, chasing or jumping on people or their children; from barking at strangers, chasing bikes or just frightening people who happen into Dog Hill who don't realize that the dogs are off-leash. If your dog is frightening someone, call it back to you or catch it, leash it, walk on and then release it further down the trail.
YOUR DOG MUST BE WITHIN YOUR SIGHT AND IN VOICE CONTROL AT ALL TIMES
Why is there fencing along the trails?
The fencing is there to protect the plant material and soil from eroding. Dogs must be leashed in all areas of high park except those designated off-leash areas.
Off-leash areas are those defined by the double-fencing as well as Dog Hill and the path leading from the Hill past the theatre. Spring Road is an off-leash area. The path to the east of Spring Road is an ON-LEASH area as well as the area surrounding the catch basin.
Due to the sandy soil structure in High Park, walking just once or twice off the trial can kill the plant material, leaving the area bare. These bare areas will then quickly erode and expand. Volunteers and Parks restoration staff maintain the new plantings in the park and we need to respect their considerable efforts.
The fencing is also protecting you and your dog from walking through poison ivy, which is a plant native to High Park, and is abundant in the woodland areas.
Are there any restrictions to when we can use the area?
The Canadian Stage Company runs its production at the Dream Site from 6pm to 11pm daily (except Mondays) from June 29 until Labour Day. People with dogs must leave Dog Hill during this time so as to not spoil the theatre experience. Please be aware that dogs are NOT permitted in the theatre area at any time of year.
What sort of disease can dogs pick up in the park?
The following list of communicable canine diseases can be spread through contact with an infected animal or by contact with feces and/or urine of an infected animal or a contaminated water supply.
Distemper
Parvovirus
Infectious Canine Hepatitis
Leptospirosis
Coronavirus (Kennel Cough)
Giardia Lambia (Beaver Fever)
By keeping our off-leash areas clean and as feces free as possible, we significantly reduce the risk of disease for our dogs and the dogs of others.
West Nile Virus
There is an extermely low risk of your dog catching WNV. However the risk of people is considerably higher. West Nile Virus is spread by contagious mosquitoes which lay their eggs in standing water. To reduce our risk of contracting WNV, please avoid running the water at the fire hydrant for long periods of time, to avoid creating standing water in this area of Dog Hill. The water is not for bathing dogs.
Why does High Park perform controlled burns in certain areas?
High Park has remnants of Black Oak Savannahs which is a very rare ecosystem. Good portions of the native plants that grow in this type of woodland require fire to germinant and grow, including the Black Oaks.
Is bike riding allowed in the off-leash area?
Bicycle riding is permitted only on the paved roadways in High Park. Bicycling in the woodlands and along the trails causes major erosion to the soil and creates a serious safety hazard for people and dogs walking on the trails.
Please note that off-leash dogs and bikers share the use of Spring Road. Although the majority of dogs will disregard bikers, some dogs may chase or bark at the bicycles.
Where does the water in Spring creek come from?
The water in Spring Creek is storm water that runs off the streets in the adjacent residential and commercial area to the north, east and west of the park.
Unfortunately, people in those areas dump unwanted substances down the storm sewer at the end of their driveways: oil leaks from cars, etc, all eventually end up in Grenadier Pond and the Spring Road sediments ponds. Works and Emergency Services is doing their best to educate and inform people. They are also redeveloping and improving all the sediment ponds in High Park. For instance Wendigo Way at the north end of Grenadier Pond was redeveloped in 1995. The lower pond of Spring Road is also a demonstration wetland in a storm water pond. These ponds assist in cleaning the water before it enters Lake Ontario at the various outflows along Lakeshore Blvd.
Who are the groups of children walking through the park?
These are students on field trips with their school or attending the environment education programs held at the Nature centre or Colborne Lodge. Often the groups switch locations in the middle of the day, and usually walk from one location to another during their lunch hour.
Dogs that aren't normally reactive wills sometimes surprise you and be startled and/or frightened by children, especially in large groups, and react in a fearful and/or aggressive way (i.e. barking and charging and retreating). The Dog Owner's Liability Act states that any person can call for the police and have charges laid against a dog owner, if they even feel that a person is being threatened by a dog, i.e. aggressive barking without a bite having occurred. So please be extra careful with your dog around kids and other park users.
Who and what is the K9 working group?
We are a group of volunteers, representatives from
the Ward 13 Councillor’s office, Animal Services
and Parks and Recreation dedicated to improving the
health, safety and appropriate use of High Park by
owners and their dogs. By developing various educational
strategies and organizing activities, we aim to
advance tolerance and understanding among all of
the communities in the Park. We are a sub-committee
of the High Park Community Advisory Council.
We are currently looking for new members to assist
with finding educational opportunities to enhance the
cooperative use of High Park. If you’re interested in
joining us, please send an email to K9@highpark.org
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Can anything be done about the geese in the park?
High Park is part of a city program to control and monitor the goose population. This program includes signage (posted next to Grenadier Pond), shoreline natural plantings, bylaw enforcement, egg oiling, as well as the use of trained dogs to round up geese from parklands.