New Off-Leash Area at Lawrence Avenue East & Starspray Boulevard

Help shape the new off-leash area by providing feedback on the preferred design. The survey closes on March 2, 2026.

Take the Online Survey

 

The City is adding a new off-leash area for dogs to the open space on the north side of Lawrence Avenue East and Starspray Boulevard. The off-leash area design will be determined through community engagement and is proposed to include accessible pathway(s) and shaded seating.

While we aim to provide fully accessible content, there is no text alternative available for some of the content on this site. If you require alternate formats or need assistance understanding our maps, drawings, or any other content, please contact Sung Sim at 647-567-1571.

  • Summer 2025: Hire a design team
  • December 2025 to January 2026: Community Engagement Phase 1
  • February 2026: Community Engagement Phase 2
  • Spring 2026: Detailed design
  • Summer 2026: Hire a construction team
  • Fall 2026: Construction starts
  • Late 2026: Construction complete

The timeline is subject to change.

Online Survey

February 16 to March 2, 2026

Take the online survey to help shape the new off-leash area by sharing your thoughts on the preferred design. The project team will use this feedback to confirm and finalize the design.

The survey results will be shared on this page.

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Level of Engagement

This project has been classified as a Consult project based on the International Association of Public Participation Spectrum. This means we collect and consider public feedback on proposed design options to inform the development of a final off-leash area design.

In this phase, the City collected feedback from the community on the proposed location and design options for the new off-leash area. This input will be used to confirm the location and inform the development of a preferred design for the off-leash area.

Design Options

Both designs comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), are similar in size and cost about the same amount.

Design Option A

Design Option A is 759 square metres, measuring 11 metres wide by 69 metres long.

Site plan for Design Option A with numbers that correspond to the list of features after the image.

  1. Accessible asphalt pathway
  2. Double-gated pedestrian entrance
  3. Engineered cedar wood fibre surfacing
  4. Armour stones or boulders
  5. Maintenance gate
  6. Central seating area with two shaded tables on concrete paving
  7. Two-metre-wide grass border
  8. 1.5-metre-high wood post and rail fence with wire mesh
  9. Shrub buffer and three-metre setback from sidewalk
  10. Existing bus stop on Lawrence Avenue East at walkway to Ridgewood Road (approximately 26 metres away)
  11. Existing concrete sidewalk on Lawrence Avenue East
  12. Existing bicycle lane on Lawrence Avenue East

Design Option B

Design Option B is 825 square metres, measuring 11 metres wide by 75 metres long.

Site plan for Design Option B with numbers that correspond to the list of features after the image.

  1. Accessible asphalt pathway
  2. Double-gated pedestrian entrance
  3. Engineered cedar wood fibre surfacing
  4. Armour stones or boulders
  5. Maintenance gate
  6. Paw-shaped seating area with two Muskoka chairs and one shaded table on concrete paving
  7. Two-metre-wide grass border
  8. 1.5-metre-high wood post and rail fence with wire mesh
  9. Paw-shaped seating area with three Muskoka chairs on concrete paving
  10. Shrub buffer and three-metre setback from sidewalk
  11. Existing bus stop on Lawrence Avenue East at walkway to Ridgewood Road (approximately 47 metres away)
  12. Existing concrete sidewalk on Lawrence Avenue East
  13. Existing bicycle lane on Lawrence Avenue East

Community Engagement Meetings and Events

January 2026

Online Survey

From December 8 to January 11, an online survey collected feedback from 414 respondents on the proposed location and design options for the off-leash area. 75 per cent of all respondents are dog owners, seven per cent walk or care for someone else’s dog and 18 per cent do not own or regularly spend time with dogs. 56 per cent live within one kilometre of Lawrence Avenue East and Starspray Boulevard.

The survey was promoted through social media, on-site signage, the project mailing list, the local Councillor’s office and this page.

Feedback Summary: Off-Leash Area Location

Overall, 70 per cent of respondents were satisfied with the location of the off-leash area, 11 per cent were neutral and 18 per cent were dissatisfied.

145 respondents shared additional comments about the location. Common themes included:

  • the small or narrow size of the site (23 comments)
  • the location’s lack of parking (22 comments)
  • dissatisfaction with the location (21 comments)
  • preference for alternative locations for the off-leash area (18 comments)
  • the site’s proximity to a road (18 comments)
  • support for the location (16 comments)
  • concerns about parking or traffic issues (14 comments)
  • opposition to an off-leash area (12 comments)
Feedback Summary: Off-Leash Area Designs

Overall, 69 per cent of respondents were satisfied with the design options for the off-leash area, 11 per cent were neutral and 20 per cent were dissatisfied.

Respondents were asked which design option they liked best:

  • 40 per cent preferred Design Option A
  • 40 per cent preferred Design Option B
  • 14 per cent had no preference
  • seven per cent did not know

Respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement with descriptive statements about Design Option A:

  • 69 per cent agreed that the design is functional and easy to navigate for dog owners and caregivers
  • 66 per cent agreed that access to the off-leash area is convenient, well connected and minimizes potential conflicts with pedestrians
  • 59 per cent agreed that the design provides a comfortable and safe experience for both dogs and people
  • 54 per cent agreed that the design provides enough space for dogs to run, play and socialize
  • 47 per cent agreed that the position of the off-leash area relative to the existing bus stop is favourable

Respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement with descriptive statements about Design Option B:

  • 64 per cent agreed that the design is functional and easy to navigate for dog owners and caregivers
  • 63 per cent agreed that the design provides a comfortable and safe experience for both dogs and people
  • 60 per cent agreed that the position of the off-leash area relative to the existing bus stop is favourable
  • 60 per cent agreed that the design provides enough space for dogs to run, play and socialize
  • 60 per cent agreed that access to the off-leash area is convenient, well connected and minimizes potential conflicts with pedestrians

146 respondents shared additional feedback on the off-leash area. Common themes included:

  • adding a separate area for small dogs (43 comments)
  • making the off-leash area larger (30 comments)
  • adding a water fountain (14 comments)
  • adding parking (13 comments)
In-Person Pop-Up Event

On January 6, the project team held a pop-up event at West Rouge Community Centre from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. to collect feedback on the proposed location and design options for the off-leash area. Approximately 15 community members participated in the event. The local Councillor and one staff member were in attendance.

Participants used dot stickers and sticky notes to share their preferences and comments.

Feedback Summary: Off-Leash Area Location

Overall, three participants were satisfied with the location of the off-leash area, with no neutral or dissatisfied votes.

One participant shared an additional comment about the existing parking lot near the site of the new off-leash area.

Feedback Summary: Off-Leash Area Designs

When asked which design option for the off-leash area they liked best, five participants preferred Design Option A and none preferred Design Option B. No participants shared their level of satisfaction with the design options.

When asked to indicate their level of agreement with descriptive statements about Design Option A:

  • five participants agreed that the position of the off-leash area relative to the existing bus stop is favourable
  • three participants agreed that access to the off-leash area is convenient, well connected and minimizes potential conflicts with pedestrians
  • three participants agreed that the design provides enough space for dogs to run, play and socialize
  • two participants agreed that the design is functional and easy to navigate for dog owners and caregivers
  • two participants agreed that the design provides a comfortable and safe experience for both dogs and people

When asked to indicate their level of agreement with descriptive statements about Design Option B:

  • one participant agreed that the position of the off-leash area relative to the existing bus stop is favourable
  • one participant agreed that access to the off-leash area is convenient, well connected and minimizes potential conflicts with pedestrians
  • one participant agreed that the design is functional and easy to navigate for dog owners and caregivers

The following descriptive statements about Design Option B did not receive any agree, neutral or disagree votes:

  • the off-leash area design provides enough space for dogs to run, play and socialize
  • the off-leash area design provides a comfortable and safe experience for both dogs and people

Three participants shared additional feedback suggesting a separate area for small dogs within the off-leash area.

In this phase, the City will share the preferred design for the new off-leash area with the community for feedback. When the preferred design is confirmed, the project will move into the detailed design phase, where the design team will work through the technical details and develop drawings for the construction contractor.

The community engagement activity in this phase is an online survey.

The anticipated outcome of this phase is a refined preferred design.

Preferred Design

The preferred design is 814 square metres, measuring 11 metres wide by 74 metres long.

Site plan for the preferred design with numbers that correspond to the list of features after the image.

  1. Accessible asphalt pathway
  2. Double-gated pedestrian entrance
  3. Engineered cedar wood fibre surfacing
  4. Armour stones or boulders
  5. Maintenance gate
  6. Seating area with two shaded benches on concrete paving
  7. Two-metre-wide grass border
  8. 1.5-metre-high wood post and rail fence with wire mesh
  9. Accessible concrete pathway
  10. Shrub buffer and three-metre setback from sidewalk
  11. Existing bus stop on Lawrence Avenue East at walkway to Ridgewood Road (approximately 24 metres away)
  12. Existing concrete sidewalk on Lawrence Avenue East
  13. Existing bicycle lane on Lawrence Avenue East

The preferred design was informed by the outcomes of Community Engagement Phase 1. It builds on Design Option A with key updates based on community feedback, including an expanded footprint and repositioned seating.

Phase 1 Feedback Response
Make the off-leash area larger. The length of the off-leash area has been extended to 74 metres, increasing the total area to 814 square metres. Further expansion is limited by a sanitary sewer pipe along the west, required maintenance access along the north and the boundaries of City-owned land to the east.
Evaluate the placement of seating within the off-leash area to create more space for dogs. The seating area has been moved eastward and armour stones/boulders have been rearranged along the south side, clearing space for dogs to run along the north side.
Add a separate area for small dogs. The off-leash area is not large enough to include a small dog area. Per the Dogs Off-Leash Strategy, small dog areas are not recommended for off-leash areas under 2,000 square metres.
Add a water fountain. The site does not have an existing water service connection to support a water fountain.
Add parking. The site is not large enough to accommodate parking. However, adjacent land to the east is being considered for a parking lot to service both the off-leash area and Rouge Beach.

A map shows the location of a new off-leash dog area along Lawrence Avenue East, just south of Rouge Park and north of Port Union Waterfront Park, near the Lake Ontario shoreline. The area is situated between Ridgewood Road and Lawrence Avenue East, close to the residential streets of Starspray Boulevard, Bornholm Drive, and Greybeaver Trail. The map also highlights nearby parks, including Rouge Park and Port Union Waterfront Park, and features two parking areas, one on Rouge Hills Drive and another near the waterfront.