News & Updates from the park

Future of Off-leash Park in Dog Owners’ Hands

Posted by president@kilconaparkdogclub.ca / in Information /

Future of Off-leash Park in Dog Owners’ Hands

River Heights-Fort Garry City Councillor John Orlikow recommends Brenda Leipzig Dog Park users organize an advocacy group like Kilcona Park Dog Club. He says getting dog park people engaged, taking ownership of the land and advocating for the park could make all the difference. He’s  putting up a park sign to encourage  people to get involved.The City plans to put a rapid transit corridor through the Parker Wetlands and Brenda Leipsic off-leash park.

For complete coverage of this and other stories of interest to dog owners and dog lovers check out the  new Winnipeg Dog Blog http://winnipegdogblog.weebly.com/last-weeks-post.html

KPDC Receives City of Winnipeg Per Capita Grant

Posted by president@kilconaparkdogclub.ca / in Information /

Kilcona Park Dog Club  thanks North Kildonan Councillor Jeff Browaty and East Kildonan Councillor Thomas Steen for a generous Per Capita Grant  to support the club’s 2013  BBQ fundraisers.

KPDC’s June 8th BBQ was a very successful event, generating significant revenue for park improvements. The club will continue to fundraise over the summer through the sale of memberships, corporate sponsorships, raffle tickets, branded products and donations. KPDC’s next major fundraising event is the September 7th fall BBQ.

KPDC members prioritized and approved furnishings that KPDC will purchase and donate to the City last November,  at the 2012 Annual General Meeting. KPDC will undertake the first of the off-leash area improvements – the purchase of standard and wheelchair accessible picnic tables and park benches – as its funding targets are reached.

The first KPDC-funded improvement will happen in July when an 8000-capacity cigarette butt receptacle will be installed in the parking lot next to the dog play area. Cigarette butts are toxic when ingested by dogs – it only takes two to kill a puppy. The new receptacle will not only reduce the risk of accidental poisoning but is expected to reduce the amount of litter that accumulates in the main gathering spot in the off-leash area.

The Board is also examining  a new opportunity to install recycling bins at the park through the “Recycle Everywhere” program.

Thanks again to Councillors Browaty and Steen for their generous contribution Kilcona Park Dog Club and their continued support to Kilcona’s dog community!

Donna Henry
President – Kilcona Park Dog Cub Inc.

Kilcona Park/ Harbourview Action Planning Delayed

Posted by Kilcona Park Dog Club / in Information /

Kilcona Park/ Harbourview Recreation Complex Renewal and Strategic Action Planning Delayed

 

 

The unveiling of Kilcona Park’s new master plan is on hold for now. City administrators and consultants intended to present the master plan at a public meeting in April and City Council was expected to vote on the proposed plan in mid-May. However the project schedule was revised after Kilcona dog owners angrily protested proposed reductions to the off-leash area in each of the consultant’s development options and EKT City Councillors Jeff Browaty, Russ Wyatt and Thomas Steen intervened.

In April Councillor Browaty met with KPDC’s President and several Directors, the park planning project manager and other City administrators, and project consultants to discuss dog owners’ concerns. KPDC presented the City with an alternative proposal that increases the off-leash area.

The expansion is needed because Kilcona’s dog park has reached  its maximum carrying capacity, evidenced by trail damage and overcrowding at peak periods. In the past year overcrowding has been exacerbated by the closure of Transcona’s only off-leash area and downsizing and safety issues at Little Mountain Dog Park have driven traffic to Kilcona.

EKT Councillors asked the consulting team to go back to the drawing board. The project schedule has been re-adjusted to accommodate further analysis and to ensure the consultants have the City’s support for the general development directions and scope of the plan.

In an email to the stakeholder committee and other interested parties, Hilderman Thomas Frank Cram says,

“the consultant team has been verifying and refining the design and development concepts put forward by you. This means working through the many technical and programmatic considerations regarding the site and the corresponding financial implications. The Steering Committee anticipates meeting with the City officials to review this information later this summer and upon their approval, the date for the Open House will then be scheduled.

Until then, if you wish to share any new information from your organization or constituents regarding Kilcona Park, we encourage you to contact us at info@htfc.mb.ca”

Exciting Announcement for Dog Park Lovers!

Posted by Kilcona Park Dog Club / in Information /

Exciting Announcement for Dog Park Lovers!

 

Winnipeg has a brand new dog park club.   Its members are advocates for off-leash dog park users, acting as park stewards, building a positive social atmosphere for people and their dogs, and most importantly working to protect the park from encroaching development.

 

Little Mountain Park Dog Club’s founding Directors, Kristy Greening and Jordan Lobe have worked tirelessly to create a strong, sustainable organization. They spent the past year speaking with Little Mountain dog owners, networking with Winnipeg are other two dog park associations – Kilcona and Maple Grove – drafting by-laws, and registering and incorporating the fledgling organization.

The need to organize Little Mountain dog owners and create an advocacy group became evident last August when the City of Winnipeg’s Parks and Open Space re-purposed much of the off-leash area and began renting some of it out to large groups, offering space for big top and party tents, and bouncy toys.

 

Until last August only Little Mountain’s trails and walkways were designated “on-leash”.

 

Pre- 2012 on-leash trails and walkways

 

New 2012 signage reduced off-leash area

The City also declared much of the former off-leash area off-limits, re-signing it as a “naturalized area” where dogs must be on-leash.  Off-leash dogs are forced to use the most dangerous part of the park – the unfenced northwest corner, adjacent to the busy intersection of Farmer and Klimpke, two heavily trafficked rural roads.

Further marginalizing dog owners and dogs, Winnipeg Parks and Open Space took the unprecedented step of allowing the Touch Football Winnipeg League to create a regulation CFL-sized football field right in the middle of the dog park!

Researching off-leash space issues led Little Mountain dog owners to a shocking discovery – a Centrport plan to push an extension of the Chief Peguis Trail right through the off-leash dog park to connect with Winnipeg’s new 20,000 acre inland port.

Little Mountain’s dog community watched as construction work on Klimpke began late last summer.

 

About 1000 Little Mountain dog owners and supporters signed a petition formally requesting a say in the park’s future.

Little Mountain Park Dog Club has begun a membership drive to show the City the depth of local support for the park. The club’s organizing its first summer BBQ and fundraiser. Check out and “like” their new Facebook page at  https://www.facebook.com/LittleMountainParkDogClub .

KPDC Board Announcement

Posted by president@kilconaparkdogclub.ca / in Information /

Kilcona Park Dog Club’s Board of Directors regrets to announce that it has accepted the resignation of Wayne L’Esperance for personal reasons. Wayne joined the Board in November 2012 and served as KPDC’s Director of Events.

Wayne will continue to volunteer his time to support KPDC’s fundraising and stewardship activities and his company, Dogfather Pet Services, remains a KPDC corporate Gold Sponsor.

The Board is grateful for the Dogfather’s dedicated service to Kilcona Park and the club over the years and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.