Dog park advocates will hold a peaceful protest rally in the parking lot of Bow Valley Baptist Church tonight at 7 p.m., baring their teeth at council’s unanimous decision to redraft the proposed dog park site.
“They’ve been telling us for five years that this is going to happen, and then they bring it to a council meeting when it’s not even an agenda item and before the online public engagement is even finished,” said Jim Uffelmann, dog park advocate and rally organizer.
“This whole idea of ‘we’re going to listen to the town’ is a joke at this point.”
Coun. Jeff Toews brought the motion forward at last week’s council meeting to redirect administration to provide the cost for an alternate location – moving the dog park from the proposed site on the north stretch of open space in the community of West Valley to a smaller area between West Rock Road and Highway 22, in front of the Tim Horton’s.
Residents whose properties would border the dog park have been vocal in opposition, citing concerns such as property depreciation, increased traffic in the community and added noise and waste.
“We’re trying to come up with a compromise that will keep everyone happy – we’re not scrapping the dog park,” explained Toews.
The two-term councillor said while he personally feels residents might be missing out on an opportunity to beautify the currently bleak area with the extensive landscaping at the town’s expense, addition of a paved pathway and full fencing – he could not ignore the overwhelmingly negative comments the town was receiving through the public consult phase.
The concerns regarding the build of a 30-stall parking lot and the increase of traffic through that community are what prompted Toews’ motion.
Those advocating for a dog park - given the congestion issues at the river pathway off-leash multi-use area – are furious with the possibility of a site reduction to five acres from eight.
According to Uffelmann, council’s decision is nothing short of a “knee-jerk reaction” and is absolutely not good enough.
Uffelmann said he is tired of a council that panders to developers and offers lip service rather than real considerations of the community they are supposed to serve and confirmed he will throw his hat into the ring for the municipal election later this year.
Suzanne Gaida, senior manager of community services for the town, said the matter will be brought back to council at the June 26 meeting with a design and cost break down. Opinions from pipeline and business stakeholder engagements will factor into the decision.
She added that the design would consider options including the existing multi-user shale pathway and to fence off that portion to keep the dedicated off-leash component separate.
“Ultimately, the decision will be up to council,” said Gaida.
“We should not be upsetting people if we are spending that kind of money, if they don’t want it behind their houses,” said Coun. Morgan Nagel, adding that he is happy to see it go back to the drawing board as $330,000 is “an insane amount of money” to spend on a dog park.
The original site was identified in the town’s open spaces master plan in 2011.
Uffelmann has extended an invitation to town council to the rally.
