Dog park moving ahead in Yarmouth

Fenced-in park may be ready for use this year

The Town of Yarmouth is directing $15,000 towards fencing an area in town for a permanent site for the Yarmouth Dog Park.

The site, which measures 64 metres by 33.5 metres (210 feet by 110 feet), is located between the Mariners ballfield in the Broadbrook Recreation Park and the Broadbrook trail. It is accessible from Forest Street and South East Street.

The funding is for fencing, an entry gate, service gate and sallyporte (controlled entry so dogs do not escape).

The assistance enables the dog park committee to spend the $15,000 it raised in the community over the past three years on other elements like benches or a shade shelter in the park.

Mayor Pam Mood says construction is expected to occur in the next month.

“We’re still assembling quotes for specifications,” she said.

Yarmouth Dog Park president Martha Cassidy says she is “so, so pleased.”

“In light of the situations over the last three years or so, I’m cautiously optimistic at this point,” she says. “I do appreciate that the town has agreed to take steps forward on a simpler plan. I’m tickled. The sooner it happens, the better.”

The establishment of a dog park has been a long, difficult struggle for the dog park committee.

In 2015, a two-hectare property at 28 Jarvis Rd. that was viewed by the town as unsuitable for building development because of storm water/drainage issues was proposed for off-leash use by dogs and their owners/tenders.

The town hired Upland, a planning and design studio, for $15,000 to design and cost the dog park project. The town also installed a culvert on the property. Upland’s estimated cost for the proposed park was over $400,000.

The committee was directed to raise the funds for the park and the town would build it according to the specifications it requires.

Fundraising was done through private and business donations, draws for donated items and a dog jog organized by Mile East Productions.

In the past year, committee representatives presented plans for a scaled-down, less-expensive version of the park ($60,000) to several local councils in hopes of grant money.

The Town of Yarmouth gave a grant of $650, the Municipality of Yarmouth provided $1,000.

On Aug. 30, YARC president Mitch Bonnar announced he had extended an invitation for the Yarmouth Dog Park to be located temporarily in the playground at the former Arcadia school.

Although the site was suitable as a temporary location, fence improvements/repairs and the addition of other elements like signage and other items would be costly, with no guarantee of the dog park’s permanence at that location.