The City of Delta recently received conditional approval by BC Hydro for the latest proposed design for the Pebble Hill Park off-leash dog enclosure, subject to a few additional technical conditions.
That is the latest from Parks, Recreation and Culture Director Trent Reid on the plan initiated a couple of years ago by the city to add a designated dog containment area and other park improvements.
Reid noted the proposed park is within the BC Hydro right-of-way, thus, BC Hydro’s approval is required in order to proceed.
BC Hydro requested additional technical testing, but the city is noting the utility was reviewing the proposed plans only from the perspective of impacts on transmission infrastructure and related public safety considerations.
Reid told the Optimist one of the conditions to proceed is the use of “non-metallic” materials for the fences.
It was the main hold-up preventing the project from proceeding to the next phase, he said, adding the city is now in the process of making the needed adjustments for final approval.
Reid also noted that, to date, there have been two rounds of public consultation on the project over the past couple of years.
The Pebble Hill Park Reserve dog off-leash area was established in 2010 and is within the right-of-way. The existing dog off-leash area is not fenced and relies on signage and natural boundaries.
The updated design for the enclosure does incorporate the majority of public input and recommendation feasible to do so given the BC Hydro conditions, said Reid.
The city will be focusing on social media and on-site project signage to alert residents of the designs and timelines for the work, once all those details are confirmed, he said.
As far as the budget, the 2022 Capital Plan had $275,000 identified for the project and the city will be updating the estimate once the design is fully complete and before tendering.
Some area residents have conveyed opposition, saying an overall park and neighbourhood plan should be undertaken with nearby residents properly consulted for their input.
Stephanie Toom conveyed a series of concerns, telling the Optimist one of their biggest problems is the creation of another entry point into the park and its location.
She said residents are opposed to having a pathway behind their homes when there is an entry path to the dog park which is a short distance away.
She noted the constant noise from dogs and dog walkers from dawn to dusk will disturb the peace and enjoyment of those homeowners beside the path.
Among their other concerns, she also noted there is a lack of “people amenities” and a “people-only” space at the site.
