Clause No. 143 embodied in Report No. 16 of the Works and Parks Committee (December 1, 1997) which was amended by the Council of the City of York at its meeting held on December 9, 1997.
request to have section of cedarvale park designated an off-leash zone for dogs
(Council, at its meeting on December 1, 1997, amended Committee’s recommendation as follows:
Councillor Mihevc, seconded by Councillor Roberts, moved:
THAT the Committee’s recommendation be amended by adding the following:
THAT the new City Council review all of Cedarvale Park and establish, with community consultation, an unleashed dog area that is larger or different than the one that already exists,
which was carried with Councillor Mendelson voting in the negative. Councillors Davis and Saundercook were absent when the vote was taken.
Upon the question that the foregoing Clause be adopted, as amended, it was carried with Councillor Mendelson voting in the Negative. Councillors Davis and Saundercook were absent when the vote was taken.
Moved by Councillor Mendelson,
THE WORKS AND PARKS COMMITTEE recommends that the following communication from Dr. Gayle A. Shinder be received,
FURTHER, that the new City of Toronto Council be requested to develop a uniform policy with respect to leashed and unleashed dogs in city parks,
which was carried. Councillor Davis was absent when the vote was taken.
(Undated) From Dr. Gayle A. Shinder, 230 Vaughan Road, Apt. #3
"I am writing this letter on behalf of all of the dog owners that walk their dogs in Cedarvale Park. It is very important that dogs have access to an area where they not only run free and get much-needed exercise, but also socialize with other dogs. We would therefore like to have a section of the park designated as an off-leash zone. Currently the only off-leash area in the park is in the ravine southeast of the Bathurst Street bridge. Many dog owners are reluctant to have their dogs roaming free in that area, because of the potential dangers of the polluted water, the indigenous wild-life, and the easy access to Bathurst Street.
We understand that there are people In the park who are fearful of dogs. Moreover, we realize that some dogs have a tendency to run after joggers and cyclists. If there is a designated off-leash area, then people can take their dogs to this section of the park and as a result, the dogs will no longer be a worry and a threat to others. Joggers, or anyone else who do not want to encounter dogs, would know that they should not enter the off-leash zone.
There are those people who would like to see dogs banned from Cedarvale Park because they feel that the owners do not clean up after their pets. In defense of the dog owners, most of us do clean up after our dogs and we do tend to make sure that other dog owners clean up as well. Food, garbage, broken bottles, glass, bottle caps and other hazards, are left behind by people who use the park for picnics or just for hanging out.
Finally, the presence of dogs at Cedarvale Park can act as a deterrent to random acts of violence on people who enjoy the park.
I feel that it is very important that people who use the park, whether or not they have a dog, give their thoughts on whether or not they agree with an off-leash area, and if so, where they think the best region would be. I therefore recommend that we send fliers to the people in the community requesting their thoughts on an off-leash area in Cedarvale Park.
I would greatly appreciate your consideration for the request of an off-leash area at Cedarvale Park and would like very much to become actively involved in seeing this through."
