The City of Prince George is planning to convert two current city parks into off-leash dog parks.
On Monday, city acting director of civic operations Blake McIntosh told city council the plan is to convert Ingledew Park and Malaspina Park into off-leash dog parks over the next few months.
"Both parks have fencing infrastructure that will be (repurposed) for dog park use," McIntosh said.
Ingledew Park is a treed park at the intersection of 17th Avenue and Ingledew Street. Malaspina Park is a grassy fenced area, located beside Malaspina Elementary School.
The cost to convert the parks for off-leash use was estimated at $25,000, and it was not expected to add significant operational costs. The city's current off-leash dog park program costs the city about $15,000 per year in addition to normal park-related costs, according to a report provided to council.
The parks will be the first off-leash dog parks in the Miller Addition and College Heights neighbourhoods.
The city's park strategy calls for the creation of further off-leash areas, city manager of parks and solid waste Sean LeBrun said.
"We're going to proceed cautiously. We know that people enjoy the off-leash areas," LeBrun said. "We take it very slowly, and make sure we are not impeding anyone or stepping on anybody's toes."
Not all park users feel comfortable sharing a park with off-leash animals, he added.
Coun. Kyle Sampson said the new off-leash areas will be good for dog owners and non-dog owners.
"It is good for the people who have pets, it makes this a bit closer to them in their neighbourhood and makes sure they can have this recreating opportunity," he said. "But it also means, hopefully, that more folks will be compliant with the not having their dogs off leash in parks that are not for off-leash."
Coun. Brian Skakun said there is a community demand for more off-leash parks, and access to parks like Moore's Meadow and Ginter's Meadow is "just one of the benefits of living in Prince George."
Skakun said he'd like to see one of the city's off-leash parks named long-time community and animal rights advocate Kathi Travers, who died in 2019.
"She was such an advocate for off-leash parks," he said. "Some of her dreams, they are coming to fruition."
Mayor Lyn Hall said the process is already underway to see that happen.
"The one at Duchess (Park) was really her baby," Hall said.
