Heather Park proposed dog off-leash area

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Consultation has concluded

Dog with ball, photo by Anna Dudkova

In 2017, we approved the People, Parks and Dogs Strategy(External link) to help deliver carefully designed parks for people with and without dogs. The strategy identified the importance of providing off-leash areas (OLAs) within a 15-minute walk of most residents. An OLA at Heather Park will increase access for off-leash dog activities in two priority neighbourhoods that are currently underserved. Heather Park is large enough that a small, fenced off-leash area could be added with minimal impact to other activity spaces in the park.

In Round 1 of public engagement, we heard from you on topics including park use and current conditions. In Round 2, we shared a draft concept design and asked for your feedback. Based on Round 2 input, the design has been revised and the final concept is now available. The concept design for this project was approved by the Park Board on June 26, 2023 and we are currently working on the details of the design prior to construction.

The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation acknowledges, with respect, that our parks are located on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.

Translations

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In 2017, we approved the People, Parks and Dogs Strategy(External link) to help deliver carefully designed parks for people with and without dogs. The strategy identified the importance of providing off-leash areas (OLAs) within a 15-minute walk of most residents. An OLA at Heather Park will increase access for off-leash dog activities in two priority neighbourhoods that are currently underserved. Heather Park is large enough that a small, fenced off-leash area could be added with minimal impact to other activity spaces in the park.

In Round 1 of public engagement, we heard from you on topics including park use and current conditions. In Round 2, we shared a draft concept design and asked for your feedback. Based on Round 2 input, the design has been revised and the final concept is now available. The concept design for this project was approved by the Park Board on June 26, 2023 and we are currently working on the details of the design prior to construction.

The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation acknowledges, with respect, that our parks are located on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.

Translations

The automatic translation tool* is available for: Traditional Chinese [繁體中文] Simplified Chinese [简体中文] Punjabi [ਪੰਜਾਬੀ], Filipino [Tagalog], Vietnamese [Tiếng Việt], French [Français], Korean [한국어], Japanese [日本語] and Spanish [Español] – please see the tool at the top-right of this page.

*Note: the translation service on our website is hosted by Google Translate. As this is a third-party service, we cannot guarantee the quality or accuracy of any translated content.

Consultation has concluded

  • Final Heather Park OLA concept

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    15 May 2023

    Based on feedback from round 2 engagement, minor changes have been made to the final concept for the new dog off-leash area (OLA) at Heather Park.

    • The surfacing material for the OLA will be engineered wood fibre (EWF), a type of woodchip commonly used in playgrounds. EWF is a durable material that does not splinter, is considered universally accessible, provides good drainage, and will be soft on dog paws.
    • We are exploring options to provide a drinking fountain with a dog bowl



  • Round 2 engagement summary

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    The Round 2 engagement summary is now available.(External link) Round 2 of public engagement ran from April 27-May 18 and included a draft concept design that was shaped by the feedback from the first round of engagement. Read the round 2 engagement summary to learn about what we heard.

  • Round 2 design concept

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    10 Nov 2022

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

    (External link)

  • Round 1 engagement summary

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    In our first round of engagement, we heard from you on topics including park use and current conditions. Take a look at the engagement summary from round 1.(External link)

  • Park description

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    Heather Park is a neighbourhood park located in the north end of the South Cambie Neighbourhood in close proximity to Fairview and Mount Pleasant Neighbourhoods. The park has a lawn (0.6 hectares), a small playground, and four tennis courts. Mature street trees surround the park and provide shade during the hot summer months

  • Why Heather Park?

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    The People, Parks and Dogs Strategy identified the importance of providing off-leash areas (OLAs) within a 15-minute walk for most residents. An OLA at Heather Park will increase access for dog off-leash activity in two priority neighbourhoods that are currently underserved. Heather Park has suitable space and amenities that a fenced off-leash area could be added while maintaining space for other activities.

    The maps below show how much of the underserved area can be serviced by off-leash areas at both Heather and Granville Parks.


  • People, Parks and Dogs Strategy

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    The People, Parks & Dogs Strategy (2017)(External link) (External link) 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.