Phil Gimson plays ball with Layla at the temporary dog park. (Richard McGuire photo)

It’s now just a case of allowing freshly seeded grass to become established before Osoyoos has a new, permanent off-leash dog park.

The new park, at a former BMX track next to Osoyoos Secondary School, is now fenced, cleared, and the ground has been smoothed out.

“I think at the end of the day it’ll definitely be better for the dogs,” said Councillor C.J. Rhodes, the lead council member on a committee that has been working since the start of the year to make the new park a reality.

The new dog park, he said, will have challenges and activity areas for the dogs, with more improvements planned when future budgets allow for additional improvements.

What’s more, finishing touches are now being done on a new baseball diamond where the old dog park was located, just down the hill.

Baseball teams and dog lovers will now each have their place on the hill – something that seemed unlikely a year ago when the Osoyoos Minor Baseball Association told council it wanted the dog park repurposed back to a ball diamond.

That request in July 2017 from Jason Bartsch, president of the ball association, touched off a controversy leading hundreds of dog owners to sign a petition calling for the dog park to remain.

Elizabeth Burnett, the young woman who led the petition drive, played a key role on the committee that has developed the new park.

Burnett said she’s very happy with the way the new park is turning out.

“I was a little skeptical at first and a lot of community members were as well,” she said, referring to a town plan last November to meet the needs of both user groups.

But she was excited when the following month she was asked to serve on the committee to establish a new dog park.

That committee included Councillor Rhodes; Gerald Davis, the town’s director of community services; and four people from the community at large, including Burnett.

She says the committee ran really well.

“We’re all in it for the dogs and we’re all open-minded,” said Burnett. “We want to make sure that everybody is safe, healthy and happy… We were ready to be on the same page.”

Rhodes agrees.

“Our goal was to set up a community committee of people that were engaged in using the dog park regularly and had an interest,” he said. “That’s worked out really well. It’s been a good experience.”

Unlike the old dog park, which was flat, the new one is on the slope of the hill.

Rhodes said different users have different opinions and some people preferred the flat location.

“Other people with larger dogs like hilly areas and berms and dog activity areas,” he added, pointing out that there is also a flat area in the new park.

Burnett agrees that opinions will be mixed.

“Change is hard,” she said. “Some of the feedback I’ve heard is that it’s going to be difficult for elderly or disabled or less able individuals… I just tell people we’re lucky to have something rather than nothing … I think the dogs are going to love it.”

Burnett said the committee looked at what’s worked in some other communities, notably Chilliwack.

“They had a really cool, outdoorsy, hilly park,” she said. “They had tunnels and all sorts of stuff. We do have some ideas for the future, and there’s a little bit of money allocated each year. So we’re hoping to gradually do upgrades and maybe add some new features.”

Some of those upgrades may include things for people like benches and trees. But the committee is also looking at things for dogs like underground tunnels using large pipes.

Until the new park is ready for use, which will likely be in the fall, there’s a temporary dog park next to the pickleball and tennis courts. Access to it is between the two ball diamonds and through a gate on rollers.

Phil Gimson, who was at the temporary park Sunday evening with his dog Layla, said he thinks the temporary park is better than the old one and the new park will be even better.

He tosses a ball down the slope, but in the heat, Layla isn’t in a hurry to retrieve it.

Soon Tom Shepley arrives with Slate and the two dogs chase each other around while their owners chat in a temporary shelter.

Usually there are more dogs and owners there at that time, they say, speculating that the heat may have kept some at home.

The grand opening of the new dog park will depend on how quickly the new grass grows.

“We just want the community to love it and to use it well,” said Burnett. “And to hopefully respect the baseball diamond users. I know it’s been difficult for some and they have opinions. We just want our dogs to be happy.”

RICHARD McGUIRE

Osoyoos Times

Slate, a big black dog, plays with Layla, golden, at the temporary dog park. Slate was brought by Tom Shepley and Layla came with Phil Gimson. (Richard McGuire photo)

Slate, a big black dog, plays with Layla, golden, at the temporary dog park. Slate was brought by Tom Shepley and Layla came with Phil Gimson. (Richard McGuire photo)

The new dog park has been landscaped and seeded. It will open, likely in the fall, after the grass is established. The new park was developed after the old one was converted back to a baseball diamond. (Richard McGuire photo)

The new dog park has been landscaped and seeded. It will open, likely in the fall, after the grass is established. The new park was developed after the old one was converted back to a baseball diamond. (Richard McGuire photo)