Off-leash areas for pooches earn nod

A PLAN to create 18 new offleash dog areas between Gordonvale and Palm Cove has received unanimous support from Cairns Regional Council’s sport and community services committee.

The scheme includes seven “high priority” areas to be established as a matter of urgency. Seven will be rolled out in three to five years and four more within a decade.

The first seven-park phase, to be completed by the end of the 2020-21 financial year, is expected to cost $470,000, including a $250,000 outlay for the major redevelopment of Barron Waters Park in Caravonica.

The council heard ongoing annual costs would be $102,000 due to additional work including trimming grass around new fences.

The decision needs to be ratified by a full meeting of council before public consultation can begin.

Next week’s meeting has been brought forward to Tuesday due to Anzac Day falling on Wednesday this year.

Division 8 Cr Jessie Richardson said Barron Waters Park was overdue for a refreshment.

“This said.

“This is an area that, I’m not going to say neglected, but it certainly hasn’t been touched in years except for regular maintenance.

“The child play area is run down and falling apart, the dog off-lead area is very small.

“It does flood a little bit, but even in this last lot of flooding it didn’t reach from fence to fence.

“It flows over and runs away pretty quickly.” is wonderful,” she