Colwood’s four-legged friends hoping for more space to blow off some steam could soon be in luck.
The city is considering creating an off-leash dog park in the Royal Bay neighbourhood, using over half an acre of land located between Metchosin Road and Mendez Place.
According to Coun. Ian Ward – who proposed the motion – the South Colwood/Royal Bay area is home to the largest concentration of dogs in the city, but because of high-density development, residents lack yard space to exercise their pets.
Options for off-leash canines are also limited outside the home, said Ward at a May 12 council meeting, noting that plans for a dog area in Quarry Park were shelved last year.
Dog-friendly Meadow Park, located off Latoria Boulevard, is also overwhelmed by demand, said the councillor, who recalled a conversation he had with the owner of a dog training facility.
“She can’t think of anywhere else in this region that is busier than Meadow Park with dogs,” he said.
Demand for a Royal Bay dog park is high, said Ward, who canvassed the area and found residents showing “significant interest” in the idea.
“A lot of people were under the impression that there would be a dog park at the Quarry Park site and have been patiently waiting,” he said.
Other Colwood councillors backed the proposal.
Coun. Misty Olsen said she felt Colwood was “falling short” on its provision of dog parks.
"Based on our population ... I think best practice is one to every 10,000 residents there should be a dog park ... we currently only have the one at Colwood Creek," said Olsen, who also noted that Royal Bay lacks any “walkable access” to an off-leash dog area.
"I think with the continued growth in the Royal Bay and the Olympic View area, the demand is just going to continue to grow," she continued. "I think that having a dog park in this area also helps to support responsible dog ownership and reduce conflicts in shared park spaces."
While also supportive, Mayor Doug Kobayashi urged the city to engage the property owners neighbouring the earmarked land, to ensure their "buy in" on the plans.
At the May 12 council meeting, councillors unanimously agreed to direct staff to engage with Path Developments to explore moving forward with the idea.
