Norfolk County is hoping residents who enjoy the existing dog parks will help fund future parks for their furry friends.
“We feel we will get some donations,” Bill Cridland, the county’s operations general manager, said at a Tuesday budget meeting. “People feel strongly about the parks and this is a way to help offset the costs of future dog parks.”
Cridland reminded councilors that in 2021 a group from Port Dover approached council asking a dog park planned for about five to six years from now, be built sooner. The group raised $12,000 and with the help of the county managed to build Norfolk’s third dog park in the summer. The two other dog parks are in Waterford and Simcoe.
But, as councilors were considering the Port Dover request, they wanted staff to come up with a way of helping to cover the costs of future dog parks.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Cridland delivered a report on the issue and recommended funds be generated by donations.
Under the plan, a sign with a QR code linked to a donation web page would be displayed at the county’s dog parks in Waterford, Port Dover and Simcoe. Users wold be asked to help the county continue to provide the parks free for all to use.
The donations would be used to support ongoing costs of operating the parks and help with the capital costs of building a new dog park. County officials would also work with community groups to help cover the capital costs which, Cridland said, amounts to about $30,000 to install a fence.
Ongoing maintenance costs which include grass cutting and minor maintenance amounts to about $5,000 a year, Cridland said.
The county has received requests for dog parks in Port Rowan and Delhi, Cridland said.
County staff considered a couple of options including charging dog owners a user fee when they renew their dog tags every year. The county could then provide dog owners with a dog park tag or some other identifier to allow use of the dog park.
The county sells approximately 1,100 dog tags a year and the proposed rate dog tags is $27.25 for neutered/spayed dogs and $41.25 for those intact.
However, imposing a user fee on top of the dog tag, assume all dog owners will use the dog park which is likely not the case, a staff report said.
So those dog owners who don’t use the park would be subsidizing those that do and not receiving any direct benefit for themselves.
County officials also looked at a membership program. Under that proposal, the county could collect fees for copies of keys to get into dog parks.
Cridland told councilors that some municipalities including Brant County have a membership program.
However, that would mean changing the locks at dog park and result in increased administrative responsibilities, Cridland said in his report to councilors.
Parks staff would need to annually change locks at dog parks, or more frequently if damages to locking mechanism occur.
Cridland said staff believe the donation-based approach is the best way to generate some funds for future parks. If it doesn’t work, the situation can be reviewed and staff can come up with a different plan, he said.
count. Linda Vandendriessche (Ward 2) agreed.
“I like the idea of a donations,” Vandendriessche said adding that she believe dog owners will contribute to the upkeep of existing parks and the building of future dog parks.
Councilors have recommended for approval county staff’s plan to accept donations to support dog parks in Norfolk.
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