News & Updates from the park

Recently there have been howls of protest over the ever-increasing amount of dog feces at the park. Some Kilcona dog owners have suggested that someone needs to do something about it. Several have written to me, hoping I might be that “someone”.

I’d like to share what KPDC will and won’t be doing about the problem but first…a reminder. On March 1 last year, filthy conditions in both the off-leash and on-leash areas, and dog owners’ complaints, prompted Kilcona Park Dog Club’s Board to hold an emergency park clean up. It was the first time a winter park clean-up had been necessary.

The Board called the emergency clean-up because we did not want to give the City any reason to shut down Kilcona’s off-leash area.We knew the City had the authority to close an off-leash area “where there is a consistent violation of the requirement to pick up feces”.

Volunteers spent the weekend picking up other people’s dog poop. A biting wind and bone-chilling temperatures made the job of chiselling unclaimed dog feces out of the ice extremely unpleasant!

Even more unpleasant was the fact that although many people were walking their dogs at Kilcona that weekend, they simply walked right by our volunteers. Less than a dozen dog owners cared enough to pitch in.

KPDC’s Directors, two realtors from Corporate Sponsor Royal Lepage, Rosemary Meacham, Toni Zacharias – who doesn’t even own a dog – and a couple of other dedicated club members were the only volunteers who helped out.

KPDC Directors Tanya Hirsch and Jeff Henry, and club members Lee-Ann and Toni Zacharias

Directors Wayne L’Esperance, Craig Handkamer and Jeff Henry organize the emergency clean-up

KPDC Emergency Park Clean-up Volunteer Rosemary Measham

In April, a pitiful turn out at the Annual Spring Clean-Up – once again KPDC Directors and a couple of club members – prompted the Board to rethink its role as Kilcona’s Poop Fairy. The Board decided last September’s fall clean-up would be the last one of the year. With so little support for the club’s stewardship activities we agreed not to hold a winter clean-up.

What KPDC Will Do To Address the Problem

The Board is fundraising and working with one of our corporate sponsors to purchase aluminum dog waste bag dispensers that will be installed along the trails. The sponsor has agreed to supply the bags on an ongoing basis if park staff keep the dispensers full.

The Board will  continue to sponsor spring and fall clean-ups BUT only if Kilcona dog owners pitch in. We don’t have a date for the spring clean-up. It will depend on the spring melt. The land needs to be dry and dog waste needs to be “pick-up-able.” Watch the website and Facebook for updates on the clean-up and please volunteer your time. A good turnout at the spring clean-up will ensure the club continues to host park stewardship events.

The Board will continue to promote picking up as part of its responsible pet ownership education initiates.

The Board will continue to encourage 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. Until responsible Kilcona dog owners do that consistently, the irresponsible ones will continue to ignore the law.

Please be part of the solution. Bring a whistle to the park and blow it to alert distracted or irresponsible dog owners that they need to pick up. Bring extra bags and offer one to those in need. Use one of them to pick up an extra pile each time you visit the park.

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

Call  311 and provide:

• Your name, address and phone number
• The address where the dog lives (311 confirms they’ll accept a vehicle license number)
• The date and time that you saw the dog defecating off its property
• A description of the dog

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

Donna Henry

President – Kilcona Park Dog Club