Judging from the comments, it looks like the Town of Oliver and the parks board has some “cleaning up” to do in Lion’s Park before they establish a new off-leash dog area there.
By cleaning up we don’t mean dog poo, we mean addressing the illegal activities that occur seemingly unchallenged.
Sources claim that Lion’s Park, although an oasis to many, is the area of choice for drug trafficking in Oliver. In the summer time open liquor and marijuana use is a common occurrence here. It is reported that hard drugs have also made an appearance in Lion’s Park. So you can see why many families won’t set foot in this “oasis” during the summer months.
Don’t get the wrong idea – Lion’s Park is not crawling with undesirables. Most young visitors are courteous and keep to themselves. But there is a small segment that peddle drugs and are not respectful to women. There are those who also care nothing of the rules and let their dogs run rampant.
The point is if the Town wants to label Lion’s Park as an all-inclusive area, it has to stop sweeping these problems under the welcome mat and get tougher on the people who are tarnishing this gem.
Oliver previously had a bylaw enforcement officer (Donald Lowndes) who didn’t turn the other cheek to these offences, and local residents noticed a change in the park’s atmosphere. It was more family friendly because dogs weren’t running roughshod and the place didn’t look like a liquor store anymore.
But some people then complained that Lowndes was too harsh or overzealous in his enforcement duties, and according to him, the Town cancelled some infraction tickets that he wrote. In response, the Town said the officer did not portray the positive, welcome-to-Oliver attitude that it was trying to convey. Lowndes subsequently resigned.
Moving the off-leash dog area to Lion’s Park may seem like a good idea on the surface, but we wonder how many locals will actually use it if these problems aren’t addressed. There could be conflicts waiting to happen.
There must be a concerted effort by the Town and the RCMP to ensure this park is a place that locals want to visit without fear of intimidation or being subjected to alcohol and drug use. This starts with more presence (and patrols) by police and bylaw officers.
Next summer, if the new off-leash dog area is established, the ideal scenario would be the following: A nice mix of park users, no open liquor, no marijuana smell, no dogs off leash (except in the fenced areas), and frequent bylaw enforcement.
Time will tell.
Lyonel Doherty, editor
