I’m shocked and saddened by Saanich council’s decision to take away 80 per cent of existing areas for people to walk well-behaved dogs off-leash. (Their reference to 57 parks still being off-leash is very misleading. Most are tiny or close to roads, etc.)
A huge majority of Saanich citizens opposed this change. Saanich provided no evidence that it was necessary. It was a punch to the face of democracy for council members to ignore the voice of their constituents.
Coun. Colin Plant, who moved the motion to approve the strategy, had the temerity to say that public input was only one of the elements to be considered. He applauded the “process.” I’ve been participating in various Saanich consultations for years and this was by far the most biased, with surveys that anyone could answer multiple times.
Cadboro Bay, where I live, is an example of what happens to parks subject to unmitigated leash restrictions. I go to Gyro Park and beach almost every day and large areas are empty. People are deterred from using the park when they see uniformed bylaw officers patrolling and handing out fines – often not because a dog has misbehaved but simply because they are off-leash.
Most sadly, a small group of anti-dog vigilantes has contributed to the stress by photographing and sometimes threatening people with dogs. I have witnessed this.
Saanich’s new strategy would spread this practice to all parks by allowing volunteer “stewards” to spy on neighbours and report infractions to the authorities. As at Cadboro Bay, this will drastically reduce, not increase, attendance and enjoyment of parks.
Couns. Karen Harper and Zac deVries who proposed the People, Pets and Parks strategy in 2021 must be clinking glasses in celebration. However, the 75 per cent of park users who have dogs face a future where a walk in the park will be like living in a police state.
Lynn Wray
Saanich
