Emery Barnes Park dog off-leash area renewal & proposed expansion

Based on feedback from round 2 engagement, minor changes have been made to the final concept for the renewal and expansion of the dog off-leash areas at Emery Barnes Park.

• Pet-specific synthetic turf will be the primary surfacing material in the OLAs. This turf includes a sand-like material, zeolite, in place of rubber crumb, which helps to cool the turf surface and limits smells from pet waste. An irrigation system and pet-safe cleaning solution will also be used to keep the surface clean and cool and limit smells.
• Mounds and some agility elements have been removed to create more open space for running and playing
• Small boulders have been added to the small/shy dog OLA as stepping stones for agility.

The Round 2 engagement summary is now available. Round 2 of public engagement ran from April 20 - May 18 and included a draft concept design that was shaped by feedback from the first round of engagement. Read the round 2 engagement summary to learn about what we heard.

Take a look at the round 2 engagement boards to see how your feedback from the first round of engagement shaped the design concept.

The Round 1 engagement summary is now available. In round 1 of public engagement, we posted signage in the park, our email newsletter went to 505 people, social media informed followers of our survey, and we sent 49,320 postcards to households and businesses near the park. We heard from you on topics including park use and potential OLA expansion. Take a look at the engagement summary from round 1.

The Vancouver Park Board is planning a renewal and proposing a small expansion of the existing dog off-leash area (OLA) in Emery Barnes Park. Emery Barnes is a well-loved park that balances a variety of features including the OLA. Improvements to the OLA are necessary to address ongoing safety and maintenance issues, as well as to accommodate the growing number of dogs in the area. In all of Vancouver, Emery Barnes Park serves the second highest number of licensed dogs living within 1 km of an OLA.

Emery Barnes Park was built in 3 phases. Phase 1 was completed in 2003, phase 2, which included the dog off-leash area, was completed in 2010, and phase 3 was completed in 2012. Since building the off-leash area in 2010, we have adopted the People, Parks and Dogs Strategy. The strategy provides a framework for the next ten years and beyond to deliver well-planned and designed parks that accommodate park users, with and without dogs.

Emery Barnes is a well-loved park that balances a variety of spaces including the off-leash area (OLA). In all of Vancouver, Emery Barnes Park serves the second highest number of licensed dogs living within 1 km of an OLA.

In our first round of engagement, we identified an opportunity to expand the OLA to help accommodate the high number of dogs in the neighbourhood, while maintaining the existing activity spaces in the park. The area identified for the proposed expansion was a small lawn area southwest of the existing OLA.

In our survey, we heard that 80% of respondents agreed that expanding the OLA would be beneficial. We also heard that 67% of respondents would value a *self-managed, separate space for small/shy dogs.

By expanding the OLA to include a small/shy dog area, we would be able to accommodate a growing number of dogs while also maintaining the existing park uses and circulation.

*At a self-managed small/shy OLA, dog owners determine whether their dog is the right size and/or has the right temperament to use the space. Communication between owners is encouraged.

Reviewing successes and challenges in dog off-leash areas helps us identify what is working well, and where strategies are most needed to facilitate sharing limited park space and to minimize conflicts. Here are some of the challenges at Emery Barnes OLA:

• Limited options for play and enrichment for dogs
• Few options for dogs to separate into different areas
• Surfacing that causes maintenance challenges and safety concerns
• Odours from dog-waste

Images of existing condition:

The People, Parks & Dogs Strategy (2017) provides a framework to deliver well-planned and designed parks for people with and without dogs. The recommendations from the strategy fall into four key themes – access, design, stewardship and enforcement. Through mapping and analysis, the strategy identified areas of Vancouver that are deficient in off-leash area access as well as six neighbourhoods to be prioritized for new and renewed off-leash spaces. With the guidance of the strategy, the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation is committed to providing equitable and improved access to OLAs across the city.

Public engagement is an important part in implementing the recommendations of the strategy. Input from all park users will help to ensure the successful renewal of this well-used amenity, while supporting a safe and comfortable experience for all park users, with and without dogs.