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

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 also include accessible pathway(s) and 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
  • Fall 2025 to Winter 2026: Community engagement and design development
  • Spring 2026: Detailed design
  • Summer 2026: Hire a construction team
  • Fall 2026: Construction starts
  • Late 2026: Construction complete

The timeline is subject to change.

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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.

January 2026

Online Survey

From December 8 to January 11, an online survey collected feedback from 414 respondents on the off-leash area design options.

A summary of the feedback will be shared on this page.

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 off-leash area design options. Approximately 15 community members participated in the event. The local Councillor was also in attendance.

A summary of the feedback will be shared on this page.

December 2025

Off-Leash Area Design Options

Two design options for the off-leash area will be presented to the community for feedback, which will inform the development of a final design. Both designs comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, are similar in size and cost about the same amount.

The footprints of both designs are smaller than the available open space, due to a sanitary pipe along the west side where no structures can be installed.

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.

Design Option A includes:

  1. Accessible asphalt pathway
  2. Double-gated pedestrian entrance
  3. Engineered wood fibre surfacing
  4. Armour stones or boulders
  5. Maintenance gate
  6. Central seating area on concrete paving with two shaded tables
  7. Two-metre-wide grass border
  8. 1.5-metre wood post and rail fence with wire mesh
  9. Shrub buffer
  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.

Design Option B includes:

  1. Accessible asphalt pathway
  2. Double-gated pedestrian entrance
  3. Engineered wood fibre surfacing
  4. Armour stones or boulders
  5. Maintenance gate
  6. Paw-shaped seating area on concrete paving with two Muskoka chairs and one shaded table
  7. Two-metre-wide grass border
  8. 1.5-metre high wood post and rail fence with wire mesh
  9. Paw-shaped seating area on concrete paving with three Muskoka chairs
  10. Shrub buffer
  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

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.