Nolan and Rory Antonello, along with their dog Teddy, celebrated the grand opening of Osoyoos’ new off-leash dog park on June 19. (Vanessa Broadbent / Osoyoos Times)
By Vanessa Broadbent
Osoyoos Times
Dogs and their owners now have a permanent space in Osoyoos, and the town’s new off-leash dog park is officially open.
A grand opening barbecue on June 19 celebrated the official opening of the new off-leash dog park, located on a former BMX track next to Osoyoos Secondary School.
Dog owners have been using the new park since March, but now two shelters, signage and running water have completed its construction.
The location is beside the town’s former dog park, now operating as a baseball diamond.
When the change was announced in 2017, Osoyoos resident Elizabeth Burnett started a petition to create a space for dogs.
“The off-leash dog park didn’t have another place to go to and the place that was offered wasn’t ideal, so I started a petition and we had over 500 people sign it,” she said.
Town council responded by forming a committee to create a new dog park, lead by councillor C.J. Rhodes.
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Within a year, a new space was fenced and the former BMX track had been cleared, but the newly-seeded grass needed to finish growing before dogs could use the park.
“Part of the process of building it was to excavate and move stuff around and get it to where it is now. And after all that work was done, there’s a little bit of cleanup that went on and then the planting of the grass,” Rhodes said.
The committee’s work isn’t done yet though; with a little bit of budget money left over, there are a few more upgrades planned.
More trees will be planted, Rhodes said, and the committee is looking at different options for helping owners clean up their dogs’ waste.
One environmentally friendly option includes cylinders inserted into holes dug into the ground. Dog owners can put the waste directly in the cylinder and when it’s full, the cylinder is removed and the hole is topped up with soil and another is dug.
“Then we would probably do away with the plastic bag thing because those will ultimately end up in the landfill and it’s not the most desirable thing to have happen,” Rhodes said.
In the few months the park has been used, Burnett said she’s received positive reception, and dogs and their owners are both enjoying the new facility.
“People come to meet each other every single day, just to hang out, and the dogs are buddies,” she said.
“It’s nice – it’s like a little community.”
Director of community services Gerald Davis (left) and Elizabeth Burnett serve cake at a grand opening for the town’s new off-leash dog park on June 19. (Vanessa Broadbent / Osoyoos Times)
A committee organized by the Town of Osoyoos oversaw the implementation of the town’s new off-leash dog park. From left are members councillor C.J. Rhodes, Elizabeth Burnett, Bev Bidinoff and director of community services Gerald Davis. (Vanessa Broadbent / Osoyoos Times)
