The City of Toronto owns and manages 73 off-leash areas. General user satisfaction of Off-leash Areas (OLAs) vary, with some users approving of current City standards and practices, while other users question their efficacy.
The primary objective of the Study was to provide recommendations that improve existing OLAs, through effective design, maintenance and
operations as well as promote OLAs as spaces that can foster healthy relations between dog owners and non dog owners. The study process involved a variety of stakeholder and community engagement methods to identify key issues, establish the process, and receive feedback on draft recommendations. This includes four stakeholder meetings, interviews with City Staff, ten “Pup”-Ups at selected off-leash dog parks and two online surveys.
The plan establishes criteria to improve the existing DOLAs, evaluate the general overview of Toronto’s existing DOLAs, determine best practices, prepare maintenance and operations guidelines, design options and recommendations and improve community involvement in the development of future ongoing partnerships.
