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Local residents concerned over new dog park in Alliston

August 18, 2022   ·   0 Comments

Some residents in a neighborhood in the northwest corner of Alliston are voicing concerns about a new leash-free dog park that is currently being constructed on their street and bordering other streets in the area.

Hillcrest Park on Cowan Avenue is being fenced in to create a leash-free zone for pet owners however some nearby residents say this is the wrong place for a dog park citing lack of parking, loss of the open green space for general use, and concerns about offensive smells they say are caused by many pets using a confined space so close to their homes.

Construction at the site commenced on August 8, and was planned to include separate areas for small and large dogs and well as new benches.

Some nearby residents said they had not been informed of what was going to happen at the park and were surprised to see a construction crew working there.

After being told it was going to be a dog park, some residents in the area began to voice their opposition to losing green space and having more cars parked on their street which has no sidewalks and no parking area for park visitors.

“It’s only a stone’s throw away from everyone’s property on two major streets,” said Cowan Avenue resident Adam Munroe. “It’s a big green space and the whole field is being turned into a dog park. There was no notice given to residents in the area and we were all shocked. Usually when it comes to these kinds of projects they put up some sort of notice so if you do have questions or comments or concerns you can voice them. The dog park has taken over the entire field and it’s going to affect everyone on the streets that surround this park.”

Mr. Munroe said he does not have an issue with dog parks, however he thinks this location is not appropriate.

“There’s no parking lot to help with the flow of traffic and it looks like they will allow people to park on the road in front of the homes causing one-way traffic. There’s no sidewalks. I used to live near a dog park. In the summer months, with all these dogs being in one place, it creates a bad smell from the mess.”

Park Street resident Jen Messervery, who herself is a dog-owner, also appreciates dog parks, but not in an area bordered by houses.

“This park is normally busy with sports, kids playing, people exercising, and a lot of people have been flying kites,” Ms. Messervery said. “I like the idea of having a dog park, but why are they putting a dog park in the middle of a residential area? There’s no parking on the streets and that makes it tough to drive there. It’s a large park – obviously they are planning to draw people and their dogs from all over.”

She also said that dog parks all contain bins for dog owners to place droppings, which collect and create a bad smell.

Town officials did take notice when informed of the resident’s concerns and did visit the park to see the situation for themselves and spoke to residents in the area.

Work on the site has been “paused” so that they can take look at the situation.

The Town announced on Friday, August 12, that “construction of a dog park at Hillcrest Park, 41 Cowan Ave., Alliston has been paused.”

By Brian Lockhart

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