Proposal for New Off-Leash Dog Park in North Bowmanville

The General Government Committee of Clarington discussed the proposal for a new off-leash dog park in North Bowmanville during their meeting on October 19, 2020. Councillor Traill moved a resolution noting that 57% of Canadian households own pets and that the existing Dave Boyd Memorial Off Leash Dog Park in South Bowmanville has been well-used since its opening in 2012. The resolution highlighted an increase in park usage due to more residents working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was noted that the current off-leash facility is insufficient to accommodate the growing number of dogs and their owners from five new residential developments in the area: Modo, Lakebreeze East, Lakebreeze West, Brookhill, Camp 30, and Soper Springs. The committee resolved that staff report back at the next meeting on November 9, 2020, regarding the inclusion of costs for the new off-leash dog park in the 2021 budget and possible locations for the park, which include the north end of the former Bowmanville Zoo lands, adjacent to Camp 30, and in the vicinity of Concession Road 3 and Liberty Street. Additionally, the proposal includes an option for LED lighting at the park, operated by user-activated timer buttons.