City of Burlington Looking for Input on the Leash-Free Area Criteria
Please see the media release from the City of Burlington below.Burlington, Ont. — Aug. 1, 2019 — The City of Burlington is looking for feedback on the City’s current Leash-Free Area Criteria. Residents are encouraged to visit getinvolvedburlington.ca/leashfree to review the criteria and provide the City with feedback and suggestions.The City currently has three public Leash-Free Areas:
- Roly Bird Park (2203 Industrial St.)
- Norton Park (4275 Dundas St.)
- Bayview Park (1800 King Rd.)
With feedback from residents, staff will report back to City Council by the end of this year.
"Leash-Free Areas are great amenities in our parks. They encourage play and socialization for all. We also know there are challenges when developing new Leash-Free Areas, and with the general operation of them. We are looking for your input, ideas and opinions regarding our Leash-Free Areas and the current criteria we use when new requests come in. We are calling on all residents to help shape our Leash-Free future." — Rob Axiak, Manager of Recreation Services.
The current Council-approved criteria, described below, is used when the public expresses interest in requesting a new Leash-Free Area. The survey is looking for resident feedback on the criteria along with any suggestions on the criteria that residents may have.Current Criteria for Creating a Leash-Free Area
- Parks must be within City of Burlington boundaries
- Leash-Free Area must be at least 0.3 hectares (30 metres x 30 metres)
- All Leash-Free Parks must be enclosed with permanent fencing, which the City will provide as part of the budget process
- An assessment will be made to whether parking will be required at a proposed leash-free site, based on the size of the Leash-Free site, location and any disruption to park function.
- A significant barrier must exist between Leash-Free Areas and children's playgrounds, splash pads, sports fields, waterfront, cemeteries and residential housing.
- Leash-Free Areas cannot be located beside schools or in the City's waterfront parks
- Area must be accessible to the public for year-round use
LINKS AND RESOURCES: