Pop-up dog parks have returned to Saanich amid the summer sunshine and are operating within a trio of parks now through early next month.
According to the District of Saanich, the pop-up parks have made their final rotation and are open in Fowler, Horner and Hyacinth parks from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily until Sept. 6.
Earlier this year, dog owners could bring their furry friends to Beckwith, Gorge and Vantreight parks from June 1 to 27, before the pop-up parks moved to Blair, Copley East and Rudd parks from July 1 to 26.
The pilot program, introduced in 2021, falls under the district’s People, Pets and Parks Strategy and sees temporary fencing set up at each location to create a dog-friendly space.
The pilot’s goal is to help Saanich council better understand the most suitable locations for future off-leash areas.
“Concerns have arisen about the impact dogs off leash have on wildlife, natural areas, property trespass and the enjoyment of other park users,” the district said.
“Since dogs can be off leash if under effective control in most Saanich parks, this pilot project was in response to uphold the concerns non-dog owners have while being inclusive to dog owner needs.”
Public feedback gathered during the initial pilot from 585 pop-up park users was positive, prompting council to renew the concept again for 2022.
The district says dog etiquette is essential when visiting pop-ups and urges users to always clean up their dog’s waste, stay attentive when on-site and respect other dogs and their owners.
Users should also ensure their dog is healthy and its vaccinations are up to date, always keeping a collar on their pup with contact information.
Maps pinpointing the temporary enclosed areas within each park can be found online here.
🐶Our pop-up dog parks will be available in Fowler, Horner and Hyacinth Parks until Sept. 6. Pop-up dog park hours are 7 am to 10 pm. Check out the maps for each location to see where the enclosed area will be set up at the link below!https://t.co/U2ckRFkUaf pic.twitter.com/r2nE4TRRsy
— District of Saanich (@saanich) August 4, 2022
Ethan Morneau
