The second round of consultation for this proposal has been reviewed and a consultation summary report prepared. This is available for download in the right-hand column of this page.

There were a large amount of responses to the Draft Concept Plan with a wide range of views on the merits of the design and fenced dog parks in general. We have tried our best to address all relevant comments and provide a design that achieves the aspirations of the community without imposing on those who do not wish to use it.

One of the main concerns we have heard is that fenced dog parks promote poor dog management. There are experts who agree with this, however, there are many reasons for utilizing fenced dog areas. Not all dog owners are able to train their dogs or are confident with them off-leash. Not all dogs have perfect recall (they may be deaf for example).

In putting together the final design we have used the services of a specialist consultant. Some of the advice we have adopted in this plan include;

• removal of proposed grass areas as the space is not considered large enough to maintain grass.
• more variation in terrain and things for dogs to explore. An open central area invites dogs to mass together or run in circles. By breaking up the space dogs are more likely to explore rather than run.
• Entry/exit points separated. If there are issues between dogs this allows owners to exit without further conflict.
• Bins located outside the fenced area. This allows for easier removal of waste while still being accessible from inside the fence.

To address some other issues raised in the consultation;

• The carpark, shelter/BBQ and toilet was part of a previous project which is why construction is already underway.
• The 12 spaces provided in the formalised car park in addition to the 10-12 spots available in the access road are considered to be sufficient to accommodate the additional use of the reserve.
• Extensive consultation was undertaken and all efforts made to publicise it. This is evidenced by the strong response. Details can be found in the consultation report.
• The gates have been added to our night-time closing schedule.
• Due to the high support, Sewell Reserve will also have a fenced dog area, however it was not considered large enough to provide for all dog types.
• There are no suitable sites available in Hadfield with the space to accomodate a dog park.

Further explanation on the design can be found below. A high-resolution PDF version of the plan can be downloaded from the document library.

In addition to the voting exercise, we also asked additional questions for each of the possible locations, which helped us shape the draft concept plan. Below is a chart showing results for Kingsford Smith Ulm Reserve:

With this in mind we have provided the following;

• Small, timid or frail dog area - 700m2
• Large dog area - 3000m2
• Approx. 4000m2 of combined space
• Facilities such as shelter, picnic table, park seats, drinking fountains and dog watering bowls
• 10-15 meters of offset from adjacent residential boundaries and 3-5m of screen planting
• Sealed car park for 12 cars including a dedicated disability parking space
• A variety of terrain, surfaces and textures for dogs to explore
• Agility equipment and features incorporating natural elements
• Double gate entry to prevent dogs escaping
• Landscaping that allows for informal seating, human and/or dog play
• Lighting for evening access
• Lighting and parking access will be time limited to prevent late night use