City of Toronto Off-leash area plan and Public Meeting

Impressions from the City's public Meeting on June 28th

These are our impressions of the meeting last week, although we have asked for an official City response but have yet to obtain it.
In general the meeting was well attended by dog-owners and everyone who attended should be thanked for their comments 
and suggestions. Overall the City highlighted the various elements of the plan, including the roughly $500,000 they plan on 
spending in the High Park off-leash area. While some work is expected to begin as early as this fall, the City made a clear 
commitment to continue discussions with dog-owners regarding alterations to the overall plan.  Any additional comments and 
suggestions about the plan should be submitted to dola@toronto.ca by July 9, 2010.  Please also add the following key City 
staff when emailing comments: 
("Kevin Bowser" <kbows@toronto.ca>, "Richard Ubbens" <rubbens@toronto.ca>, "Helen Sousa" <hsousa@toronto.ca>).

Some of the highlights we took away from the meeting included:
- an admission on the part of the City that maintenance of the off-leash area, and willingness to invest into the off-leash area, including dedicated maintenance has been lacking.
- a promise by Richard Ubbens, head of Urban Forestry, after some entertaining squirming, that his division was in support of the plan and that he would ensure the Forestry staff and volunteers understood this fact.
- the need to maintain a loop that includes the Southern bridge on Spring road
- support for the multi-use nature of Spring road but balanced with the need to slow bike traffic and limit unnecessary vehicle access
- a need for water access for dogs in the off-leash area
- a call from those in attendance for the City to focus on real improvements to the off-leash area rather than beautification projects

In addition to including your specific comments on the off-leash plan and your suggestions for its improvement, you may also wish to consider the following general points
- the need for all City divisions, especially Urban Forestry, to understand High Park is more than just the natural environment
- the positive contributions and involvement of dog-owners on a daily basis that benefit the park and the community
- the need for additional off-leash space and trails within High Park and the surrounding communities
- enforcement of park bylaws for all users not just dog-owners

It is important to remember that the objectives of this plan are to strike the right balance between accommodating park users 
and protecting the park for future generations. Those of us that use the park on a daily basis are aware of its beauty, not only 
in its natural environment, but also in the community of users that make the park what it is. Please think of these points when 
you are providing your comments to the City.

We will endeavor to keep the community updated on any potential changes and communications from the City during 
the summer and into the fall.  

Please everyone have a safe, happy and cool summer.

John Cleary and Tammy Reid
Co-chairs High Park K9 Committee

The City's Plan
The City has released its official plan for the High Park off-leash area. Please take some time to review the plans (see the link below) and think about what it will mean for park users, dog-owners and High Park, now and in the future.

http://www.toronto.ca/parks/highpark_offleash.htm

A brief note regarding the plan
The plan was developed by an independent contractor in conjunction with the off-leash working group and input from all City divisions. Having been involved with this plan and the many years of work that preceded it, we thought we should offer some perspective in the form of the following points to consider when reviewing the plan.

1. All City divisions support this plan - Unlike previous plans, all City divisions, including Forestry, have had input into and signed off on the plan. Hopefully you will see at the City meeting, one consistent voice from the City regarding the plan and their commitment to it.

2. The plan is backed by a commitment to invest in the off-leash area - The plan involves a commitment of large capital dollars as well as yearly maintenance, including not only fencing around the off-leash area but also amenities within the off-leash area. If the public is firmly behind the plan, it is entirely possible that this investment could begin as early as this fall.

3. The plan isn't targeted at just dog-owners - All park users, regardless of their activity, have an impact on the park. We feel that this plan recognizes the futility of targeting only certain groups as any of the closed areas or closed paths are closed to everybody not just dog-owners.

4. Good fences make great neighbours. While the increased fencing may be viewed as limiting by some, the fences serve not only to protect the surrounding natural environment but also from dogs escaping the off-leash area and getting harmed or negatively interacting with other park users. Combined with the proposed signs and new gates, at the completion of this plan we can expect any reasonable person entering the off-leash area to know that they will encounter dogs.

5. This plan represents an ongoing conversation. While the current plan represents the best a small group of City staff and concerned community members could develop, the June 28th meeting isn't the presentation of final plan but simply a proposed plan - one that requires the input of the public before the City proceeds forward. Please think of this plan as the start, not the end, of a conversation with the City regarding off-leash dogs in park spaces.