Who let the dogs off-leash? Fredericton council, as part of a park trial

The City of Fredericton is letting dogs off the leash, but only in a specific section of trail in a single park — and only for a limited time, for now.

Council voted Monday to amend the animal control bylaw to allow dogs to be let off-leash in areas designated by the city.

It was a formality that had to be followed for councillors to allow the city to embark on a pilot project that will see dog owners allowed for the first time to let their furry companions run unencumbered in a city-owned park.

From May 15 to Oct. 15, dog owners will be allowed to walk their dogs off-leash on a roughly four-kilometre section of trail in Killarney Lake Park.

"Quite a few people have reached out to me when I started on council and saying, you know, 'This is something we see when we travel. We go to Halifax and there's so many options... Is this something we can do here in Fredericton?'," said Coun. Ruth Breen.

"We're known for our trails, we're known for our walkability, so it's just adding another layer of what can really make Fredericton a vibrant city for everyone."

It's a bylaw offence to allow a dog off-leash on public property in Fredericton, with fines starting at $50.

The city already has small, fenced areas throughout the city where owners can bring their dogs and let them run and play with other dogs off-leash.

But Breen noted they might not satisfy some people who want more room to walk or run with their dogs off-leash in a park environment.

Breen said the section of trail chosen for the pilot is "off the main beaten path" in Killarney Lake Park, leaving the other more popular trails still subject to the rule requiring dogs be kept leashed.

"But then in those back trials, the dogs will have the opportunity to run loose, assuming… they're well-behaved dogs [that] listen to their owners."

Chosen site met certain criteria, says director

Several criteria were considered in organizing the pilot, said David Seabrook, director of recreation, tourism and culture for the city.

He said the summer months were chosen in order to not interfere with winter activities, like cross-country skiing.

He said the selected trails are not in environmentally sensitive areas, yet are secluded enough to minimize potential conflict among different users.

"So you would have to walk with your dog on a leash for a considerable distance before the signage would tell you that you're able to take your dog off the leash," Seabrook said.

"So the idea there was really to minimize any potential conflicts while we determined through the pilot, whether or not, you know, really this was going to be a viable idea and whether the public would support it."

Seabrook said the city will be open to any public feedback on the pilot as it's implemented starting this spring.

The pilot comes as the city is putting in upgrades at Killarney Lake Park, with plans to create 32 kilometres of mountain bike trails, an 18-hole disc golf course and a $1-million playground.