By Abigail Popple, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, RMG
The dog days are over for Valemount residents who have struggled to find a spot where their four-legged friends can run off-leash. After months of planning and construction, the Valemount dog park was completed on August 22nd, according to CAO Anne Yanciw.
In February after Valemount Council contracted consulting firm Urban Systems to design a dog park, the firm returned with a roughly $375,000 plan – over seven times the $50,000 budget Council had approved for the project. The next plan the firm produced, which was approved by Council during its March 26th meeting, was estimated to cost $32,675.
While the costs of a few features – such as the park’s signs and bear-proof garbage cans – have yet to be confirmed, Yanciw said the project came in under its $50,000 budget. The park has separate areas for large and small dogs, marked by signs on each area’s gate.
Previously, the ball field at John Osadchuk park was used as a dog park over the winter months, when it was not being used for recreation. This solution was short-lived, lasting only one year, as owners not cleaning up after their dogs made it difficult to use the field for other purposes.
The park has bags and garbage cans available, plus signs reminding people to clean up after their pets, Yanciw told The Goat.
“In the end, [waste cleanup] will be the responsibility of dog owners,” she said. “Public Works will not be looking after that.”The park can be accessed from Dogwood Street, according to the Village website. Dog owners can follow signs from the parking area into the gated park.
