Dog owners want fence built around off-leash park
‘Dangerous’ site surrounded by three busy roads
Dog owners are asking the city to build a fence around a north Edmonton off-leash park they say isn’t safe for their pets.
Melody Howlett was walking her dog Watson on Saturday when he began sprinting away toward 127th Avenue, the busy street that borders the south side of the Grand Trunk off-leash park in Lauderdale.
Another dog began chasing Watson and the pair ran straight for the road and nearby train yards, prompting one dog owner to start “screaming her head off.”
“I was just holding my breath, hoping he wouldn’t run onto the road,” Howlett said Sunday. “It was scary.” Six dog owners have formed a committee advocating for the city to install a fence around the park after many animal injuries and, they say, at least two dog deaths.
On most days, dozens of dogs can be spotted frolicking at the popular park. It is surrounded by three busy streets, including two arterial roads — 127th Avenue and 113A Street — prompting the dog owners to call it the city’s most dangerous offleash park.
More than 140 people have signed an online petition calling on the city to build the fence. The group also conducted an online survey, and of the 180 people who took part, only three felt the park doesn’t need a fence.
Ward 2 Coun. Bev Esslinger asked about the issue in January. A report will come to the community services committee April 20.
Esslinger hopes it will help answer her questions about fencing off-leash parks, including whether or not it should be considered.
“I’ve heard the concerns of the residents and we need more information,” Esslinger said.
Ken Zahara, chairman of the committee advocating for the fence, says the biggest issue is animal safety.
“We’ve seen too many close calls here,” he said. Zahara’s wife has stopped taking their dog to the park because of safety concerns.
Zahara said a local fence company told him it would cost $70,000 to build a fence around the open field. He hopes the city will consider building one next year.
“We’re the only city in the area that doesn’t fence their dog parks,” Zahara said.
“We don’t want to leave it for much longer. Too many animals have been hurt and killed.
“You just don’t want to see that.” asiekierska@edmontonjournal.com Twitter: @alicjawithaj