If there's one thing that's clear, it's that people in this community are passionate about their pooches.
Dog owners and dog walkers packed the Rousseau Room at the Swansea Town Hall for a city-hosted meeting to discuss the off-leash areas in High Park and Rennie Park Tuesday evening.
Its purpose was to review the People, Dogs and Parks Strategy; review and fine-tune the off-leash area conditions of use while sharing ideas and solutions.
Instrumental in the process were members of the High Park Community Advisory Council, the K9 Committee and the Natural Environment Committee, who undertook an assessment of the off-leash area in High Park.
"Tonight's purpose," said Sandy Shaw, manager for Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation, who facilitated the meeting, "is to share the results of that assessment and to send working groups away to fine-tune details to bring back to us."
There are 32 different off-leash areas in the city and all of them are run in "37 different ways," Shaw said.
What the city decided and council approved were stringent criteria for new off-leash areas while providing the opportunity for old off-leash areas to be brought up to the new criteria, she said.
A working group was established and those who agreed to be a part of it will work with High Park supervisor Helen Sousa within the next couple of weeks to determine the best place for an off-leash area in Rennie Park.
As for High Park, a number of ideas were discussed.
"Our ultimate goal is to come up with a plan to best meet the needs of everyone in High Park," Shaw said.
There are a number of naturally sensitive areas protected by an elaborate fencing system, but there are some areas that are in need of improvement, according to Shaw.
"The assessment was done in late November," said Sousa and it found that the area's size and its hours of operation (open 24 hours) were both acceptable.
"We need signage. We need the rules posted, maps, symbols at each site with an approved code of conduct," she said.
Waste containers, the group found were acceptable, amenities also acceptable.
Dog owners weren't shy about expressing their wishes.
"I would like to ask for a long continuous walkway," said one. "I want to be able to go on a hike."
Another issue that was brought up was the condition of the trails, which are currently very muddy due to the recent warmer temperatures.
"We're looking into different surface materials," said Sousa, aware that the paths do get mucky.
People were encouraged to contact the K9 Committee with their ideas and/or desires so as not to take up too much time during the meeting.
People were asked to e-mail k9@highpark.org or contact info@highpark.org - "get engaged, keep the dialogue coming, talk to us about becoming involved," said Mark Elwood, vice-chair of the High Park Community Advisory Council.
"It's very important we get feedback," said Tammy Reid, co-chair of the K9 Committee
Every off-leash site, said Shaw, is assessed annually. Currently, there are about 12 new off-leash sites pending.
For more information about the People, Dogs and Parks strategy, visit www.toronto.ca/parks/dogs.htm
If you have ideas or suggestions for what you'd like to see in High Park or Rennie Park's off-leash areas, e-mail k9@highpark.ca or contact Helen Sousa at 416-392-6599.
"I think its important that the city try and accommodate the large group of dog owners in Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park)," said local Councillor Bill Saundercook.
"Through improved off-leash areas and by recognizing the requirement for responsible pet ownership within our parkland system, we can try and strike a safe balance between dog owners and all other park users."