The town is not yet ruling out the construction of the dedicated dog park in the west end of town this season.
While dog park users and members of the grassroots-driven Cochrane Off Leash Advocacy Group (OLAG) anxiously await their promised park, in order to alleviate pressures off the existing off-leash park in Riverview, the construction of the new park has been delayed due to ongoing discussions with pipeline corridor operators.
“We are in talks with (the pipeline operators) and hope to get started in the very near future,” said Brad Luft, manager of parks and open spaces for the town, with reference to the approved park parallel to Highway 22, in front of Tim Hortons and on the south side of West Rock Road.
Luft said everything seems to be moving along and is hopeful details will be worked out soon – possibly with enough time to begin construction this season, providing temperatures don’t dip too low.
According to Jacki-Lyn Parker with OLAG, the mounting pressures on the existing park only worsen in the winter months and the group is anxious for additional spaces before the ice hits and the Riverview park poses a danger for some dogs, especially younger ones.
“It’s very unsafe for some dogs, due to an issue with the ice,” said Parker, a daily user of the park. “That’s what OLAG is trying to do – advocate for different types of off-leash areas.”
She said the group is looking for some fresh faces to attend its next monthly meeting, which takes place at the Cochrane Legion at 7 p.m. on Nov. 16.
Parker is pleased to see that fencing is coming along in the lower addition of park space from the council-approved dog park.
The upper area of Riverfront Park, below the soccer pitch area has posts pounded and is awaiting the six-foot-high chain link fence to be installed.
This will give dog park goers additional fenced area for secure dog walking.
“In consultations with OLAG, we decided to build a smaller, fenced dog park for users, to allow them a space to contain their dogs,” said Luft, with reference to the fencing below the soccer pitch.
Luft said eventually the town might plant shrubs to cover the chain-link fencing.
The total budget for the new dog park is $300,000 and includes the addition of a paved pathway in the north section and crushed pathway in the south section, as well as garbage bins, fencing, benches and landscaping.
This capital project is part of the 2017 town budget and is funded through developer levy contributions for parks and open spaces and not through taxes.
