Dogs in Public Spaces Strategy Review

Blue Mountains City Council currently has 15 dog off-leash areas.  Do you think this is an adequate number?

Currently some sportsfields are available for dog off leash on a time share basis with the other users.  The times and constraints vary site to site.
The sites are:

• Bureau Park - 24 hour use unless booked or maintenance is underway
• Melrose Park - 24 hour use unless booked or maintenance is underway
• Katoomba Falls Reserve (lower oval) - 24 hour use unless booked or maintenance is underway
• Leura Oval –  off leash hours are sunrise – 10am and from 3pm-sunset’
• Lower Pitt Park – 24 hour use unless booked or maintenance is underway
• Sun Valley Reserve - 24 hour use unless booked, a horse is on the field or maintenance is underway
  
  

If you are a dog walker that uses, or would like to use, one of the time-share sportsfields, does this work for you?

If you are a user of sportsfield or a park that does not have an off-leash area – do you have any problems or issues relating to dogs at that site?

How often do you walk a dog on-leash outside an off-leash area? 

Dog off-leash areas are sometimes segregated into different dog types. This reduces the area available for each dog type, but can reduce dog conflicts and incidents. (Please note, segregation is not enforced by rangers.)
Please rank your preferred segregation (1 = most preferred, 4 = least preferred)

How often do you walk a dog off-leash outside an off-leash area?

How often do you exercise a dog utilising an off-leash area?

How often do you utilise one of Council's off-leash areas?

In providing off-leash facilities, a range of facilities can potentially be provided.  Below is a list of features. Please tick all that you consider essential - meaning you would not attend this site at all if the feature was not provided.

Note that if it becomes expensive to provide all the requirements considered essential at each site, this may reduce the overall number of off-leash areas provided.  

In providing off-leash facilities, a range of facilities can potentially be provided.  Below is a list of features. Please tick all that you consider desirable - meaning you would still attend this site if the feature was not provided, but it would improve your experience if it was.

The Dogs in Public Spaces Strategy also provides direction on how dogs are managed outside off-leash areas.  
Dogs are allowed most places if they are on a lead.

How often do you encounter off-leash dogs outside off-leash areas?

How alienated from any public space do you feel by dogs off-leash in areas that are not off-leash areas?

Dogs remain permitted on lead in all public spaces except for those areas dictated by law;

• Within 10 metres of play spaces
• Where 10 metres of where food is being prepared

Potentially Council could create dog-free areas for environmental or social reasons. In these areas dogs would not be permitted on or off a lead. This is the current situation with all National Parks. Dog free areas could be created for example on individual sportsfields, parks, bush tracks or bush areas

Do you think creation of dog-free areas should be considered?