Below is a position taken by the
newly reorganized Friends of Sam Smith Park steering committee on the
issue of off-leash dogs in the park. (Reorganization
details to follow soon)
In response to a recent Toronto Star article about dogs
running off leash in Colonel Samuel Smith Park and the negative impact that has
had on wildlife, particularly to meadow and shore birds, Friends of Sam Smith
Park received on its website many thoughtful comments from concerned members
and other park users.
Remarks ranged from banning dogs altogether in the
naturalized lake fill portion of the park to allowing dogs to run free.
However, the majority of comments, while describing and
lamenting the harmful effect dogs running free impose on ecologically sensitive
areas, pointed to three approaches – more signage, more enforcement of the
leash bylaw and education.
These are the approaches that Friends of Sam Smith Park
considers the most effective given the reality of the situation.
Sam Smith Park, although primarily a “nature” park, does
not have the same status as Tommy Thompson Park (Leslie Street Spit) which the
Conservation Authority, which controls it, describes as “an urban wilderness”
where dogs and cars are not permitted at all.
In actuality, Sam Smith Park has become a park with some
of the characteristics of a community park as well. Although mostly used
for the quiet enjoyment of its natural surroundings and wildlife, it is used
for other purposes too, including dog walking.
Friends of Sam Smith Park will press the City to install
“on leash” signs in the southern portion of the park where none exist at
present, demand increased enforcement of the off-leash bylaw and urge
improvements to the designated off-leash area to foster increased use.
Friends of Sam Smith Park will also move towards setting
up our own information sign(s) offering reasons why dogs should be leashed in
the park except in the area set aside for that.
Some thoughts ….
Although there are “dogs must be on leash” signs in the northern
part of the park, particularly along the Waterfront Trail, there are none
throughout the southern lakefill portion of the park (one at the beginning of
the path from the south parking lot). This prompts some dog walkers to
remark that, as there are no signs, it must be OK to let their dog off the
leash down there.
Dog walkers say that they rarely, if ever, see bylaw enforcement
officers in the park.
FOSS feels it is important to educate dog walkers about why their
dogs should be leashed. (This would be an important part of a three-pronged
approach - signage, enforcement, education). We first thought about
coming up with a pamphlet we could give to dog walkers but, when FOSS members
have spoken to dog walkers about this problem in the past, they have sometimes
been met with hostility. So the idea of educational signage came up. We believe
that a simple, clear message would have a beneficial impact on conscientious
dog owners. We researched but could not find any other examples of this
kind of sign - maybe it would be a “first” and get used in other parks.
Dog walkers often say that the designated
off-leash area in Sam
Smith needs some improvements in order to make it more welcoming and help
alleviate the off-leash issue. Some
suggestions have been shade trees, sand instead of a mud surface, wind
protection, large rocks and tree trunks as activity structures, fenced off
interior locations for trees and shrubs etc. Please use the comments section at the bottom of this post to give us
your improvement suggestions. We
will bring all ideas to the City for consideration.
