The establishment of an off-leash dog park in the university neighbourhoods has been given a boost after UNA directors voted to begin a public consultation process on the matter.
The process for setting up an off-leash dog area was discussed at the Sept. 17 meeting and follows the establishment of a UNA Dog Park Working Group a year ago.
That group was tasked with working with UBC and other stakeholders to determine potential sites and review preliminary designs of the park.
After narrowing down the list of potential sites, group members selected an existing recreational area that runs between Ross Drive and Webber Lane, north of Birney Ave. The area is currently being used as a staging ground for residential construction and features a number of beach volleyball courts.
The site is also the proposed location for a future elementary school; however, a UNA staff report says construction of the school is unlikely to proceed for “at least five to ten years”.
“The site provides an adequately sized space for an off-leash dog park that is connected to complementary recreation areas. The site is located immediately adjacent to Wesbrook Community Centre, Wesbrook Community field, and Wesbrook splash pad. From an accessibility point of view, it is within a 15-minute walking distance for Hampton, Hawthorn and Wesbrook residents,” reads the UNA report.
The other areas considered by the working group included an undisclosed site in Wesbrook and five locations near the Stadium/Main Mall Greenway area.
The UNA has hired Richard Finlay Landscape Architect Inc. to design the dog park.
A description of the preliminary design includes an area of approximately 600-700 square metres for smaller dogs and 1200-1500 square metres for larger ones. Amenities could also include shading areas and seating.
The public consultation process is expected to get underway this month, with an opening date for the part slated for Summer 2025.
The total cost for construction of the dog park is estimated at $230,000, with funds coming from the UNA’s Community Works Fund and the UNA operations budget.
The report says the dog park plan is subject to approval from the Metro Vancouver Electoral Area A Committee and ratification by the Metro Vancouver Board.
During the meeting, directors also voted to have UNA staff work with UBC to incorporate the dog park space as part of the Wesbrook Place Neighbourhood Plan amendment process.
Resident delegations heard
The meeting also included two presentations from residents.
Hawthorne Place resident and retired architect Ian Carter shared his proposal to alleviate traffic congestion in the parking area at Wesbrook Community Centre and Save-on Foods in Wesbrook Village.
During his presentation, Carter shared details and an artistic rendering for his plan to transform the parking lot to a “plaza”.
The plan would see parking redirected to the existing underground lot, which he said is currently underutilized.
He said his proposal would see the area transformed to “… a community space, as opposed to a parking space.”
Following Carter, resident Joan Hebb made a presentation to directors over her concerns about traffic safety, insufficient lighting on certain Wesbrook Place pedestrian paths, and noise from this summer’s musical performances in Wesbrook’s Norman Mackenzie Square, which were deemed to be excessively loud.
Residents wishing to address the board can do so by providing advance notice to the UNA’s chief administrative officer seven days prior to the scheduled monthly meeting.
EMMANUEL SAMOGLOU IS MANAGING EDITOR OF THE CAMPUS RESIDENT