The City of Calgary is hosting an open house next week to discuss the future of Bowmont Park when it comes to areas used by dog owners, after conflict among park users.
“Even when my dogs are on leash, the cyclists have been very rude to me, especially commuters,” said park user Donna Ewen. “People here are pretty great about cleaning up after themselves, and policing other people, and suggesting they can perhaps clean up.”
The popular park is on the northern banks of the Bow River just east of Bowness Park, near the communities of Silver Springs and Varsity. It’s classified as a “major natural area” because of its environmental significance to the city’s river valley system.
Officials are hoping to make improvements to the park, including some possible changes to the off-leash area boundaries for dog owners.
The city says on its website it’s created a number of options, “with varying degrees of access and land usage.”
“We are going to start re-engagement for Bowmont completely,” said city councillor Ward Sutherland. “Since the flood, there has been significant change along the shoreline in terms of nesting areas and where you could actually have your dog or not have your dog.”
“People are very passionate about their dogs, so there was a group that obviously wanted a lot of off-leash, and a group that didn’t, and then the cyclists concerned with dogs jumping up, and then about dogs going into nesting areas where they shouldn’t be.”
Last year, area residents shared concerns about the proposed changes; some dog owners even circulated a petition to keep the off-leash areas the way they were.
“We heard loud and clear from the public their preferences for off-leash areas in the park, so we decided to preserve the land off of 40 Ave. as an off-leash area,” said Parks Urban Conversation Lead Chris Manderson in a March interview.
READ MORE: Complaints about Calgary’s off-leash dog parks have gone down
After online engagement sessions from May to July, the city identified the following issues with the off -leash areas:
- Unclear boundaries and resulting user conflicts;
- Changes to pilot off-leash areas need to be implemented;
- River access for dogs and people;
- Alignment of the Off Leash Management Plan with Bowmont Park Management Plan updates.
The second phase of public engagement will take place at a meeting Oct. 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Silver Springs Community Hall (5720 Silver Ridge Dr. N.W.).
To fill out an online feedback form, visit the city’s page with more information here.
“Obviously there’s going to be people who won’t be overly happy about some of the outcomes, but we have to do what’s best for the park,” said Sutherland.
With files from Carolyn Kury de Castillo
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