by Shane Sody

As we reported on 31 July 2021, the City Council has been looking at how to balance dog "on-leash" and "off-leash" areas within the Park Lands.

Many dog lovers like to have their pets run free when possible, while others would prefer that dogs were mostly kept under control on a leash.

There was a period of community engagement on this issue last year, and it's likely that a formal decision will be made by the City Council in the next few weeks

*One of the posters that the City Council erected last August to encourage feedback.*

Draft maps that were circulated for comment, in August last year, have now been re-drafted to make the off-leash areas larger, and to simplify the proposed rules.

The revised dog management plan has not yet been ratified in a formal Council meeting, but if it’s adopted at a Council meeting soon (as expected) then it's likely that the new rules would come into effect in April, with signage to be erected.

*Proposed dog management map provided in December 2021 to a Council Committee meeting.*

In short:

The areas outlined in red above, would be where dogs must be on-leash, and
the remainder of the Park Lands (outlined in green above) would be available as dog off-leash areas, but subject to a general rule that dogs must be on-leash within children's playgrounds, and/or where organised sport is being played.

Changes to the proposed dog off-leash areas in Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi (Park 16). At left, the proposal that was circulated for comment in August 2021, and at right, the revised boundaries submitted to the Council Committee in December,

The Advertiser reported on this story on 12 January ($$ subscriber-only link) but neglected to mention that the Council had not yet formally adopted this recommended plan.