City council was told they were barking up the wrong tree, so they obeyed and scrapped the possibility of off-leash dog park user-fees.
Ward 11 Ald. Brian Pincott initially suggested council look into user fees to offset maintenance costs in off-leash dog parks, but had a change of heart during council yesterday.
“Why I ended up not supporting it was the argument I heard that parks are a public good and parks are good for everyone,” Pincott said.
“We will just have to budget for maintenance costs in the parks budget and I am happy with the decision,” he said, adding he isn’t sure how much it will cost “but it won’t be that much of a difference.”
Dog park users are relieved to hear about the decision, but some still believe the city’s off-leash parks need to be better maintained.
“I think this is the first smart thing I have heard coming from council, even though it shouldn’t have been suggested in the first place,” dog owner Tammy Sawatzky said.
“I don’t go to many off-leash dog parks because of how dirty they are and the lack of garbage cans so I hope they still clean them up.”
