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North-end off-leash dog park closing this month for construction

Closure necessary for construction related to Kidd’s Creek project; City of Barrie website attributes popularity of the site to damaging of soil and vegetation, requiring a regeneration period

The City of Barrie has pushed ‘paws’ on the Sunnidale Dog Off-Leash Recreation area (DOLRA).

One of only two off-leash dog parks in Barrie is slated to close this month until June 2020 for construction and regeneration of the grounds, due to the Kidd’s Creek restoration project and the unexpected popularity of the site.

As of Saturday, there were no signs at the Sunnidale DOLRA indicating it was closed, and many dog owners brought their pets to enjoy the grounds.

All dog owners approached by BarrieToday were unaware the site was soon to be shuttered for the next year.

“I bring my dog here pretty much every day,” said Pandy Stoppert, who attended the park with her dog Merlin on Saturday.

“That’s very disappointing. I didn’t know anything about that,” she said.

Stoppert said it’s very busy in the park most days, with 10 to 12 dogs sharing the space at any given time. She believes it’s important to have off-leash dog parks in the city.

“My dog doesn’t like to be on a leash. He listens and obeys commands. For him, it’s total freedom, and relaxing,” she said. “For him to be on a leash is stressful.”

According to the city's website, the closure is required due to construction of two new bridges and a new trail to allow access across Kidd’s Creek, which is anticipated to take about six months.

Following the construction work the trail will re-open, but the DOLRA will remain closed to allow for regeneration and restoration of the site.

The city’s website says the site has become so popular, the popularity has taken a toll on the soils and vegetation. The closure is planned to give the DOLRA some rest.

The Sunnidale Park DOLRA is double-gated with four-foot-high wire-mesh fencing. Parking is available at the Dorian Parker Centre or along Sunnidale Road. The total off-leash area is 2.89 hectares (7.15 acres) in size.

DOLRAs are areas set aside for residents to exercise and socialize their dogs off-leash in a protected environment, without being in contravention of municipal bylaws.

The Sunnidale Park is one of two DOLRAs in Barrie, the other being the Barrie Molson Centre DOLRA at 555 Bayview Dr.

However, attendees of the Sunnidale park on Saturday said they wouldn’t make the trip to the south end to visit the other park.

“It’s too busy over there. I try to avoid that area of Barrie, since I live on this side,” she said. “I’ll probably just take him out to Midhurst, to the trails out there.”

For more information on all City of Barrie DOLRAs, click here.


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Jessica Owen

About the Author: Jessica Owen

Jessica Owen is an experienced journalist working for Village Media since 2018, primarily covering Collingwood and education.
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