News & Updates from the park

“Make a Splash” Campaign Donors

Posted by president@kilconaparkdogclub.ca / in Information /

 

 

Special thanks to the amazing dog lovers, organizations and businesses that have so generously donated to Kilcona Park Dog Club’s “Make a Splash” campaign. Funds are earmarked to bring clean, fresh drinking water into Kilcona’s off-leash area.

Many individuals have donated to the project this weekend using KPDC’s new online PayPal system. To make a contribution, please follow the link.  http://kilconaparkdogclub.ca/electronic-payments/#.WXUhj-mQy00

Thanks to:

Alice Fokeer

Barb and Craig Handkamer

Benita Truderung

Birchwood Ford

Bruce Cunningham

Candace Mutimer

Crystal Lambertson

Grant Madison

The Samoyed Association of Manitoba

Val Sangster

 

Open Letter to Kilcona Dog Park Users re Off-leash Area Boundaries, Barriers and Leash Law Fines

Posted by president@kilconaparkdogclub.ca / in Information /

Today I received several emails from a dog owner asking for clarification on Kilcona’s off-leash area boundaries. She complained that the boundaries around the play area are not clear and that people have been fined for having their unleashed dogs in Kilcona’s on-leash area. She also asked if either Kilcona Park Dog Club or the City have plans to install a physical barrier between the off-leash and on-leash area.

The individual was under the mistaken impression that Kilcona Park Dog Club owns Kilcona Park and asked that I do something. This is not the first time the Board has heard from a dog owner who believes the club owns the park so it seems like an appropriate time to dispel the myth.

It is also an appropriate time to clarify, once again, the off-leash area boundaries to make it easier for responsible dog owners to comply with the off-leash law and avoid a hefty $200 fine.

CITY’S ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The City of Winnipeg owns Kilcona Park and its law enforcement agencies, Winnipeg Animal Services and Winnipeg Police Service, have a legal obligation to enforce the City’s by-laws within the park boundaries.

 

KPDC’S ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Kilcona Park Dog Club is the official park steward.  Our volunteers work with park staff to take care of the park by chipping trails, planting trees, hosting park clean-up events and raising money for amenities like the picnic tables, benches and waste bags that we all enjoy.

 

The club also advocates on behalf of KPDC members on matters related to the off-leash dog park and promotes responsible pet ownership.

DOG PARK 101 REFRESHER
With respect to off-leash dog parks, Winnipeg’s Responsible Pet Ownership by-law states that we must have our dog within view at all times. So while our dogs may not be able to read the signs, it is our responsibility keep an eye on them to prevent them from straying into Kilcona’s on-leash area.

DOG PARK BOUNDARIES
The off-leash area boundaries are outlined on the park map but if you’re having trouble reading it, here are the basics. Everything to the north of the cigarette butt receptacle and the median in the parking lot is off-leash and everything to the south, is on-leash. The parking lot is on-leash. Dogs are NEVER allowed on the softball or soccer fields whether they are on leash or not.

At 121 acres, our off-leash area comprises approximately 27% of the park. It is by far the largest dog park in Winnipeg.  There is no shortage of space in Kilcona’s off-leash area.

PHYSICAL BARRIER
KPDC’s priority, approved by the general membership at the last four AGMs,  is to bring potable water into Kilcona and install a drinking fountain and dog rinse station.

There is no money in the City’s budget to install a barrier between the off-leash and on-leash area. In fact, there is no money earmarked for Kilcona until 2021 and those funds will be directed to emergency repairs at Harbourview.

It would fall on KPDC to undertake the project and the club would need a lot more human and financial resources. The Board would also need more than a single request from an individual dog owner  to consider funding a barrier.

The Board will survey members in good standing (those who have purchased a 2017 membership card) to gauge interest in installing a barrier on the southern boundary. If a significant number of KPDC members request it and are willing to raise money or donate to make that happen, the matter will be brought to KPDC’s November Annual General Meeting for a vote.

For information on Winnipeg’s leash laws, here is a link to the Responsible Pet Owner by-law. http://www.winnipeg.ca/cms/animal/pdfs/RPO.pdf

Sincerely,

Donna Henry
President – Kilcona Park Dog Club Inc.

Open Letter to Kilcona’s Dog Park Community – Blowing the Whistle on Irresponsible Dog Owners

Posted by president@kilconaparkdogclub.ca / in Information /

 

Once again there are howls of protest over the ever-increasing amount of unclaimed dog feces at Kilcona Park. Responsible dog owners and other park users are going public, using North Kildonan City Councillor Jeff Browaty’s “North Kildonan – Your Neighbourhood, Your Priorities” https://www.facebook.com/groups/2445830141/ to express their disgust and air their complaints.

On behalf Kilcona Park Dog Club’s Board of Directors, I want to draw attention to the fact that this situation is very damaging to the long-term interest of Kilcona’s dog park community.

At the same time that KPDC is asking for Councillor Browaty’s support in bringing clean drinking water into the dog park, and your Board is working on a proposal to present to City Council for a small expansion to Kilcona’s off-leash area, some park users can’t even clean up after themselves. How can  we possibly ask for more land and more amenities when we can’t take care of the basics!

KPDC has made every effort to making picking up at the park as easy as possible. Over the past year, as part of our pilot project to improve the cleanliness of the park and address Kilcona’s reputation as the “filthiest dog park in the city”, KPDC in cooperation with our sponsor Royal LePage Prime has installed 6 waste bag dispensers. Our sponsor has purchased 82,000 waste bags. That comes at a considerable cost. This morning, your Director of Marketing and Communications delivered another shipment of waste bags to Kilcona park staff.

Making sure bag dispensers are full takes a lot of time, effort and coordination. A KPDC volunteer has to call the supplier in California and order the bags; then contact a courier to deliver them to Winnipeg; then make arrangements with a brokerage firm to pay taxes and other fees to get them across the border; pay for the product, the shipping and brokerage fees and arrange to pick-up the bags and deliver them to Kilcona so park staff can fill the dispensers.

Frankly, this is way too much work for a couple of volunteers, a community-minded sponsor, and Park staff if the end result is that the park is no cleaner than it was in the past. In light of the current situation, KPDC and our partners may have to rethink our role in supplying waste bags. Parks stewardship is the responsibility of everyone – not just KPDC’s Board and our partners.

On top of it all, Kilcona’s unique waste bags are showing up in litter baskets in other parks!

What Will the Board Do To Address the Problem?

1. The Board will  sponsor Kilcona’s 16^th annual spring clean-up in April or May (depending on the timing of the spring thaw) BUT only if the dog community is prepared now to do a lot more than just complain.

2. The Board will continue to promote responsible pet ownership and encourage community  self-policing with programs like the “Number Two” Clue and “Second Bag” programs. Studies have shown that community self-policing is the only effective way to get people to clean up after their dogs.

   In KPDC’s recent survey, 85% of respondents reported that they always pick up after their dog(s). In view of the amount of unclaimed piles of dog feces in the park, it appears that only responsible dog owners responded to the survey. We all need to work together to reach people who aren’t picking up after their dogs.

What Can Kilcona’s Dog Park Community Do to Address the Problem?

 

 

Kilcona’s responsible dog owners are the solution. We need to:

1. Educate, encourage and, if necessary, report irresponsible dog owners who continue to ignore the law.

2. Bring a whistle to the park and blow it to alert distracted or irresponsible dog owners that they need to pick up.

3. Bring extra bags and offer one to those in need. Use one of them to pick up an extra pile each time we visit the park.

4. Call out dog park users who help themselves to more bags than are reasonable. Remind them that most park users bring their own bags.

5. For those  who’ve asked how to report dog owners that don’t pick up, here are Winnipeg Animal Services instructions.

Call or email 311 at 311@winnipeg.ca and provide:

• Your name, address and phone number

• The vehicle license number

• The date and time that you saw the dog defecating off its property

• A description of the dog

Winnipeg Animal Services investigates every complaint. Please note that the agency does not respond to anonymous complaints.

Finally, a sincere thank you to those who take the time and make the effort to clean up after those who don’t. It’s very much appreciated by the entire community.

Donna Henry

President – Kilcona Park Dog Club

A New Kilcona Park Improvement Project – Enjoy the Views in Comfort!

Posted by president@kilconaparkdogclub.ca / in Information /

Kilcona Park Dog Club is pleased to announce that 8 new park benches have just been installed along trails in the off-leash and on-leash areas. Taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather, park staff anchored the last five benches into the ground this morning. Thanks to the installation team and all of the other City of Winnipeg Parks East staff who were involved in the project!

.

.

.

The new benches are the latest initiative of KPDC Stewardship Program’s to fund park improvements and enhance Kilcona’s green space. The club purchased the first 8 benches for Kilcona’s off-leash area in 2013/14.

Kilcona Park Dog Club and Parks East staff selected the sites for the new benches based on KPDC members’ recommendations and on the intrinsic character of each location – peaceful places with shade/shelter that offer nice views of the ponds, the wildlife, and in spots where people and dogs might like to rest and relax.

.

.

Three benches are on the North Pond Trail, overlook the northwest pond; two are on the Forest Trail, offering views of the South Canal and the southwest pond. One is located on the berm near the Perfect Circle Flying Club, offering a different view the southwest pond and the beaver lodge. The last one, at the entrance to the paved paths, will be a convenient resting spot for people using the new drinking fountain and rinse station.

.

 .

The new benches were purchased at a cost of $16,000, including construction, delivery, installation and a 10-year maintenance agreement. The project was made possible through a public-private partnership involving KPDC’s own fundraising efforts; a generous donation from the club’s Platinum Sponsor, Birchwood Ford Parks; and the support of City Councillors Russ Wyatt, Jeff Browaty and Jason Schreyer through a Land Dedication Reserve Fund grant.

.

.

The benches, constructed by the City of Winnipeg, are made of high density polyethylene. Consisting of 90% post-consumer waste, they are environmentally friendly. The benches are attractive and easy to maintain since they resist fading and do not need staining.

Kilcona Park Dog Cub, with the collaboration of generous sponsors like Birchwood Ford and Royal Lepage Prime, has donated $40,000 worth of furnishings to the park over the past four years.

A SPECIAL WOMAN AND A GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!

Posted by president@kilconaparkdogclub.ca / in Information /