City Council Committee Considering Motion to Ban New OLAs in Parks Under 2 Acres

This coming Wednesday, January 13th, the Parks & Environment Committee of Toronto City Council will consider Councillor Adam Vaughan's motion to ban the establishment of an off-leash area in any park under 2 acres. This is not a direct threat to Ramsden (which is bigger than 2 acres), but it would effectively rule out off-leash entirely in several downtown neighbourhoods, including the Annex! There is a pending application for off-leash in Huron/Lowther Park; this application would be scuttled if Vaughan's motion succeeds.

Vaughan's motion would also gut the City's brand new off-leash policy, making nearly half of the City's parks ineligible in one fell swoop.

If you believe that off-leash belongs in downtown Toronto neighbourhoods, please consider writing to the Parks & Environment Committee (pec@toronto.ca) to urge them to reject Councillor Vaughan's motion. You can also write directly to the Committee members: Councillor Paula Fletcher (councillor_fletcher@toronto.ca), Councillor Raymond Cho (councillor_cho@toronto.ca), Councillor Ron Moeser (councillor_moeser@toronto.ca), Councillor Frances Nunziata (councillor_nunziata@toronto.ca), Councillor Karen Stintz (councillor_stintz@toronto.ca), Councillor Michael Walker (councillor_walker@toronto.ca).

Again, the Committee meets this coming Wednesday morning to consider the motion.

For those interested, here's Councillor Vaughan's motion: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2010/pe/bgrd/backgroundfile-26063.pdf

New Fencing at Ramsden Park

Attached depicts the type of fencing that has been selected for the Off Leash Area.

The fence will run South along the West side of the pathway from the Roxborough steps, curving

West to approximately the beginning of the natural bern, on top of which currently sits a park bench.

There will also be a convex fence of similar style on the way to the Park Entrance at 215 Avenue Road. There will be access to Avenue road on the North and South sides of the curved fence.

If you click on the image, you will see a larger version.

We anticipate installation in the Spring of 2010.

See you in the Park.

Greetings Park Users and Dog Lovers.

The new signage showing the Off Leash area is up at Ramsden Park.

The hours of use are now

7 AM - 8 PM Monday to Friday

9 AM - 8 PM Saturday and Sunday.

Please try to keep the barking down, especially earlier in the day.

The City is meeting with us and the Residents' Association on

November 9th to go over the plan for fencing.

Always something going on at the RPOLA!!

People, Dogs and Parks: City of Toronto Policy

This is the process that is underway in Toronto.

It will impact our off leash area.

To see the policy statement from the city, click the link on the right

or go to:

http://www/toronto/ca/parks/pdf/off_leashpolicy_dec2007.pdf

Hello again, everybody!

Here's a website where you can see messages, hear about ongoing events or just vent.

Hope to see your posts!