Manitoba

Winnipeg urged to build more dog parks

City of Winnipeg parks staff are recommending council set aside $1.8 million over the next six years to create new off-leash areas for dogs and make policy changes to make it easier to create seasonal dog parks.

Committee asked to endorse plan to spend $300K a year on new offleash areas

A dog park opened at Bonnycastle Park last fall. The city has been urged to create more. (CBC)

City of Winnipeg parks staff are recommending council set aside $1.8 million over the next six years to create new off-leash areas for dogs and make policy changes to make it easier to create seasonal dog parks.

In a report to council's protection, community services and parks committee, parks and open spaces manager Dave Domke recommends the city set aside $300,000 a year to create new dog parks.

Even if approved, the request would not result in funding for dog parks. It would be forwarded to the city councillors responsible for putting together next year's budget, a committee that won't be formed until after the municipal election this fall.

Domke's report also recommends the adoption of a new offleash-area policy that includes recommendations to create seasonal winter dog parks on stretches of frozen rivers and seasonal warm-weather dog parks within hockey-rink enclosures.

The committee will consider the report on Tuesday.