[Long overdue for a by-law change, the lovely park has had more than it's fair share of problems with owners of dogs who fail to control their pets. Our family has had more than one encounter with aggressive dogs, and owners, over the years at this park. In contrast, the leash free park off Dundurn South in Hamilton is a fenced in area whereas Warren Park is a natural setting amidst the Dundas Conservation Authority trail system, and does not lend itself to a happy and safe segregated use between hikers and nature lovers, and dogs running loose. Foxes, yes, deer, sure, but dogs, no. Hopefully a resolution is found to amend the leash-free designation here. Good bit of first-hand reporting by Mr. Campbell
Park neighbours want city to enforce rules
Warren Park leash-free designation contravenes 2003 selection criteria
Craig Campbell, Dundas Star News Staff, Published on Jan 21, 2010
Neighbours of Warren Park off Tally Ho Drive feel unwelcome in the neighborhood park and are calling for a city review of the leash-free zone that breaks the city’s own rules.
Warren Park’s free running area has existed for 23 years, but has apparently never undergone the required site evaluation introduced in 2003 when the City of Hamilton created a policy for leash free parks.
Selection criteria
The continuation of Warren Park’s leash-free designation does contradict the city’s site selection criteria because the site falls within an Environmental Significant Area and the city policy does not permit free running areas within ESAs.
City staff was not available to comment this week on the Warren Park leash free zone.
Phone calls with specific questions were not returned before deadline.
More than a dozen park neighbours gathered at a Tally Ho Drive home last weekend to share some of their own concerns. Several said they no longer feel comfortable walking in the park because of threats posed by aggressive dogs and some aggressive dog owners. They are often confronted by dogs digging, or defecating, on their private property.
Concerns over Warren Park’s leash free designation were raised last summer by the Hamilton Conservation Authority, which connects directly to the park.
Bruce Mackenzie, the HCA director of customer services and operations, told the Dundas Star News during the summer leash free dogs are not permitted on conservation lands –but there were ongoing problems enforcing that rule.
“We do have a problem, particularly with our trails adjacent to Warren Park,” Mackenzie said.
The HCA put up signs between the municipal leash-free park and its own land reminding dog owners to leash their pets. But members of the group calling themselves Warren Park For Everyone pointed out people have written the word, “Nope,” on a sign advising dog owners to leash their pets.
The residents say many of them are dog owners themselve and have nothing against the pets or their use of the park. But they argue Warren Park is unsuitable for leash-free dogs and doesn’t meet the city criteria for such a designation.
They said the opportunity to unleash dogs in a natural area has brought people from a wide area outside Dundas to the local park, which is part of a significant natural area stretching from Ogilvie Street to Sulphur Springs Road.
While individual dog owners may only let their pet run loose for an hour or less then leave the area, it becomes a 24-hour a day, seven day a week issue for the community that surrounds the park. They say it causes noise, personal property damage, threatens children and the elderly and also creates significant parking problems.
Warren Park is not leash free during the summer months, but neighbours say some dog owners ignore the restriction –in contravention of city policy.
Last Saturday afternoon, when a reporter visited the park, a loose dog walked onto Tally Ho Drive in front of an oncoming vehicle. A teenage girl struggled to control and leash the dog.
During a 20-minute walk through the park, several violations of the city’s policy were noted –including examples of dog owners who had not cleaned up after their pets. One dog charged at the reporter during the visit and the owner made no attempt to leash the pet, as required under the city policy.
Comments
This is not logical. You could not, for example go to playgrounds, schools, ice rinks, etc and act aggressively toward other users, you would likely be arrested.
Because you pay taxes, it doesn't give you the right to infringe on others enjoyment.
The Hill Street dog-free area is great, since dogs run, and other people don't have to deal with them. It is also not in the middle of a sensitive natural area with wildlife and nature trails.
You can't have everything your way just because you pay taxes. That's just nonsensical.
Say good-bye now....
And I have 2 dogs!!
Animal lovers can be against leash free zones in natural sensitive areas, FYI, especially when animal lovers can see beyond the end of the pooch's nose - rabbits, snakes, turtles, fox, etc, not to mention flora...
Perhaps if you change your tone, and make a reasoned argument, you can try and win people over to your side?
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Over 85 % of people WHO LIVE THERE voted AGAINST the park....and many have dogs - including mine who I adore. read the following - that was presented with proof to the City from "molly" on Raise the Hammer:
As a resident of Dundas for the past 17 yrs I would like to assist you in your decision/platform debates by providing you with some facts re-the recent Warren Park issues. Over 120 LOCAL dundas households signed a petition requesting that the park be made leash-on. The number of dog on dog and, dog on people, attacks have been exponentially growing as people come from all over ( eg cambridge, oakville)to this very small park which is nestled within the HCA, within an ESA. It has been advertised on the internet- and hence the flood of hundreds of cars, their dogs and owners each day! Our motion has also been supported by the HCA and Hamilton Naturalist Club.
To this end both sides of this debate presented to City Council and presented and submitted were a multitude of signed affadavits, letters and plenty of pictures ( which we provided to Council) to prove why this park must be leash on only. The Public Works committee fully supported its closure as a leash free park and Council was unanimous in their vote. All sides of this debate were represented.
Also you may not be aware that a new dog park has been approved this month: http://www.hamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/39C0...
I think both sides need to sit down together and have a discussion about the problems, and see what can be worked out. I really believe there are lots of possibilities for everyone to get along.
"there have been an increasing number of 'dangerous interactions' between off-leash dogs and children or families using a playground in the same park. '…effectively fencing off the leash-free and playground uses of the park will provide a workable solution for all users,' the motion states.
As previously reported by the Dundas Star News, most municipalities with leash free areas within parks enclose the free running areas with fences – particularly when there is any chance of interaction with other park users, or to keep dogs away from conservation or environmentally significant areas.
The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals supports leash free areas that are fenced, for the protection of the dogs who use them."
What is left to argue about???
The hunting lobby is that powerful. They don’t want any competition which is why they fight to exterminate coyotes and wolves.
I would never actually intentionally kill a dog or cat, but would wound one to protect any type of wildlife. Yesterday I shot at a cat to scare him off from predating on fledgling birds. I’d prefer to shoot those who let domestic animals run loose however.
I have rattled several Hamilton area dirtbags who let their dogs run off leash by telling them that new provincial law allows loose dogs to be shot in woodlands to preserve the deer for hunters. Then I tell them I think it’s a great law.
I haven't unholstered yet, but I'm fed up.
On balance, I do love the law. A few killed dogs is by far, much smaller than the (wild)lives lost by off-leash dogs predating. By shooting an off-leash dog, you're saving the lives of woodland creatures. To me the solution is simple: keep your dog on leash and everyone is happy. Use the fenced in off-leash areas for your dogs.