Including a proposed expansion to popular existing Downtown off-leash dog area.
It's an exciting time for Vancouver dog owners and their pups as the city is set to open three new off-leash areas, including an expansion of a current Downtown favourite. No sooner than OMD! reports that North Vancouver is set to get a new dog park, three more pooch-specific areas have been proposed by the Vancouver Park Board.
The board is currently holding public consultations on three new spots that the city has eyeballed for potential dog park installations at Heather Park in Fairview, Emery Barnes Park in Yaletown and Granville Park in South Granville.
The push for more dog-friendly off-leash areas comes as the city works with the burgeoning increase in dog ownership amongst Vancouverites.
As part of the People, Parks and Dogs Strategy, the city wants to ensure that most residents have access to an off-leash dog area within a 15 minute walk from their home.
Downtown was identified as a particular area in need of additional and renewed dog parks in the strategy, with the existing dog park at Emery Barnes earmarked for improvement due to heavy use.
The park, which has the second highest number of dogs within 1km in the city, could see an extension of the existing off-leash area to a smaller lawn to the south, as well as specific spaces for shyer or more active dogs.
The initial scope for the off-leash area at Heather Park in Fairview would be to dedicate approximately half the existing grass area to a dog-friendly space, but is subject to the public consultation.
Granville Park - which already has tennis courts and bowls lawns - could see a third of it’s open grassy space dedicated to our furry four-legged friends.
The city hopes to present plans for all three parks next summer.