New fenced dog exercise area 2020

Closed 6 Sep 2020

Opened 10 Aug 2020

Contact

Beverly Petersen

beverly.petersen@hcc.govt.nz

Feedback updated 30 Sep 2020

We asked

Council consulted the community over four weeks in August and September on three possible locations for the new area. Tauhara Park in Rototuna and Resthills Park in Glenview were also considered.

All three parks are already off-leash exercise spaces and have existing infrastructure such as off-street parking and toilets.

You said

We received 1478 public submissions, with a strong concentration of feedback from residents near the three parks.

Tauhara Park and Minogue Park were the most popular community choices with 583 submissions in favour of Tauhara Park and 582 in favour of Minogue Park.

We did

We chose Minogue Park for Hamilton’s first fenced dog exercise area. The new 1ha area can be built further away from neighbours and doesn’t require a resource consent, so construction can start earlier.

Funding of $177,000 for the new pooch play space was approved through the 2018-28 Long-Term Plan. The new area will be designed to blend into the park. It will be planted with natives and will include seats and a doggy water fountain. Rules of use will be clearly displayed.

Construction will start in mid-October and the area should be open in time for summer.

Overview

With more than 12,000 registered dogs, Hamilton’s a dog-lovin’ place! We want to make the city even more dog-friendly, including offering more spaces for our canine residents and their people to exercise securely.

We’re getting ready to build the city’s first fenced dog exercise area. Fenced exercise areas give pooches, their owners and other people the confidence all park users can romp freely and safely.

Last year we asked dog owners for their preference and, based on that feedback, Innes Common was the preferred option. Unfortunately, following discussions with neighbouring residents and the wider community, we discovered that site was not suitable. We are now engaging more widely with more supporting information to seek your views on three sites before confirming the preferred site and delivering this project.

So where do we build our new pooch play space? Tauhara Park in Rototuna, Minogue Park in Forest Lake or Resthills Park in Glenview?

The new area needs to be in an existing off-leash exercise area, with plenty of room for a one-hectare fenced space. The park needs to have off-street parking, existing toilets and an easily accessible water connection.

What happens next?

Elected members will receive a report on feedback from the community at the 29 September Community Committee meeting. That meeting is expected to confirm the location of the new fenced dog exercise area. We excect to open our new pooch play space in time for summer 2020.

Events

  • Drop in sessions

    From 15 Aug 2020 at 09:00 to 15 Aug 2020 at 12:00

    We're holding three drop-in sessions simultaneously on Saturday 15 August from 9am to 12pm at these three venues:
    • Chartwell Library, Lynden Court
    • Glenview Library, Macdonald Rd
    • St Andrews Library, corner of Braid Rd and Taylor Tce

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