Small dogs and their owners will have a place to sit in the shade this summer as council has approved the use of up to $40,000 to build a canopy-like structure with benches in the small dog area of Lacombe Lake Park.
The sheltered seating area, a project put forward by a motion from Coun. Ken MacKay, will appear sometime this summer when crews also complete some rehabilitation work to the water access area for dogs, also known as the dog beach.
According to a report to council written by Craig Cameron, the city's manager of parks and community partnerships, prior to MacKay's motion the city did receive “an inquiry from an informal group of small dog area users requesting the city enhance the existing shaded seating area and provide a second seating option,” and administration considered the request but eventually decided against it as the existing amenities at Lacombe Lake Park were deemed to meet existing dog park standards.
Cameron's report explains that the existing amenities in the off-leash area, specifically the small dog area that opened in 2021, include a “tree-shaded bench area along with one unshaded bench,” although “small dogs and their owners also have access to amenities within the general dog area.”
In response to MacKay's motion, administration brought forward two potential options for a permanent small shelter and seating structure in the small dog area. The first option, at a cost of between $54,000 and $81,000, was a canopy-like structure that would provide shade over two picnic tables, and the second option, at a cost of between $24,000 and $36,000, was a smaller structure that would provide shade over one picnic table or two benches.
Council voted to move forward with neither option, and instead, unanimously decided to provide an overall budget of $40,000 for the project.
In an interview, MacKay explained that he decided to bring the project forward after hearing from the informal group referenced in the report from administration, and after recognizing that many users of the small dog park are seniors, and in the event of adverse weather there's nowhere in the small dog area to take shelter or to simply rest while out in the park.
“It's become quite a social gathering for people with smaller dogs, and they're not all elderly but some are elderly and some have accessibility challenges,” MacKay said. “If a storm comes up quickly, there's really nothing that these people can do other than run to their cars, and sometimes they walk in from other locations or just nearby.”
“It's in relation to just providing some of the residents, people who use the dog park, another [seating] option, recognizing the demographics of those people that are using that dog park.”
Coun. Mike Killick said he hopes to see a similar seating area and shade-providing structure as the gazebo in the big dog off-leash area.
“I don't need to see us go to a totally different custom design,” he said. “I'm hoping that we can come up with a right answer for both cost savings as well as meeting the functionality that we already have in the big dog park.”
During the meeting, Coun. Sheena Hughes said she was in favour of the project because it provided an accessible place for seniors who use the small dog park to rest.
“A lot of people use the dog parks when they really can't walk their dogs for extended periods of time, and yet those people would have nowhere to actually rest if they can't also just stand for long periods of time,” Hughes said. “That conjunction can really be a barrier.”
“I can see where this would actually have a lot of value for those people.”
The $40,000 in funding for the project will come from the city's dog license reserve, which is funded through dog license fees and used exclusively to maintain and develop dog parks in the city.
Including the $40,000 approved for the project, the dog license reserve has a balance of about $365,000.
