An off leash dog park could be in Battleford's future.
At last week's town council meeting, Mayor Derek Mahon said he met with Kandice Tomaz, Lynne Burton and Stephanie Lees to discuss potential contributions they could make to the community on behalf of Realty Solutions.
Their primary area of interest is an off leash dog park, said Mahon, and they have suggested it be located on the flats in Battleford.
Councillors asked Parks and Recreation Superintendent Randy Redding to meet with the Realty Solutions group to discuss the possibilities, noting there may be other possible locations.
A letter from the three women was also reviewed, which stated they were interested in forming a fundraising committee and chairing an off leash dog park committee if the project had the approval of town council. The letter noted, and council confirmed, that $10,000 was put into last year's capital budget for the purpose of a dog park.
Tomaz, Burton and Lees said in their letter they proposed the flats location because it is walking distance from anywhere in Battleford, it could be accessed by the walking path and because it is already being used by members of the community who drive or walk their dogs to the area to run their pets off leash.
"The walking path is actively used by many residents in the area for walking their dogs," the letter said. "Unfortunately, some of the residents do use the path as an off leash area for their dogs and as a resident who frequents the path, I can attest to the fact that dog excrement on the path is quite prevalent. We would hope a designated off leash dog park would be a resolution to this."
The letter said the group has a variety of fundraising ideas to aid in the cost of the project.
The idea of establishing a dog park is not new. Several years ago a local resident was prepared to spearhead the project, but ended up moving away from the community and no one has championed the idea since.
There has been discussion over the years about a possible location, said Redding. In addition to the flats, the area beside the Eiling Kramer Campground and the area across the road from the campground had been looked at, but the proximity to campers and an expanding residential area make them less attractive. The old landfill site has also been suggested, he said.
Councillor David George said, "I'm for the park. We've had this issue raised on numerous occasions."
He also said, however, he wasn't keen on the flats as a location. He said it was a safety concern because children use the flats in the summer. He suggested the Realty Solutions group should be willing to look at other spots as well.
Redding and Councillor Shelley Boutin-Gervais both noted homeowners wouldn't want a dog park next door.
"I wouldn't want to be the house that backs onto a dog park," said Boutin-Gervais.
Especially at 5:30 in the morning, said Redding.
Despite the best location being unknown at this point, councillors were happy someone was prepared to move the project forward.
