ST. PAUL – On July 9, the Town of St. Paul held an open house at the Recreation Centre to identify the location of a proposed dog park.
The proposed locations are Kendelstick Park or Elks Park.
One resident told Lakeland Today that he is located close to Elks Park, and he said that residents adjacent to the park received no communication from the Town. He also said that “there’s no point of altering” Elks Park as it already sees high activity from people and is used for a variety of activities or occasions such as weddings or grad photoshoots.
Another resident said he is not opposed to the opening of a dog park, but he is not certain of either of the proposed locations. He said both parks are used well by the community such as for sports, yoga, or Pilates in Kendelstick Park.
Residents were also able to write their thoughts on post-it notes, where some expressed their excitement for the project.
The open house also aimed to get residents’ thoughts on the rules and regulations of the dog park.
Based on the post-it notes, some suggestions included adding a dog run fee for campers. “Don’t always hit taxpayers,” according to the note.
Another note suggested not to include animal control under the list of duties for bylaw officers, “when they really have more pressing matters.”
Those who were unable to attend could provide their input online, although that survey has also now closed.
Background
According to information from the Town, the project “aims to create a safe and engaging space where residents and their canine companions can socialize, exercise, and enjoy the outdoors together.”
Once a location has been identified, the plan is to apply for the Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP). A provincial grant that provides financial assistance of up to “$125,000 to upgrade, expand, purchase or build public-use community facilities,” according to the Government of Alberta website.
The open house is a part of the process of writing a strong grant application to increase the chance of approval, according to Steve Martineau, the project manager for the Town of St. Paul.
“We want to have as much good input and strengthen the application as best as we possibly can to demonstrate the need for the dog park in the community,” Martineau told Lakeland Today in a previous report.
