You are responsible for the actions of your dog.In addition to knowing when and where dogs are allowed off leash, there are some simple guidelines for dog owners to follow while at a leash-free area: Areas containing species of concern, locally or regionally rare, threatened, or endangered.Natural shorelines with native vegetation.ESAs, ravines and natural features protected by provincial regional regulations.Designated memorial, heritage, commemorative and ceremonial areas.Artificial or natural ice rinks, toboggan hills.Skateboard bowls, tennis courts and other sport pads.Horticultural display areas, community gardens.Playgrounds, splash pads and wading pools.Leash-Free Areas cannot be located at waterfront parks.Īrea must be accessible to the public for year-round use.ĭogs must be leashed in the following areas: Leash-Free Areas will be setback a minimum of 15 metres from: Neighbourhood Leash-Free Area – minimum 500m2 (approximately half the size of Civic Square in downtown Burlington)Īll Leash-Free areas must be enclosed with permanent fencing.Destination Leash-Free Area – minimum 3,300m2.There are two size options to accommodate a variety of needs: Leash-Free areas must be on City of Burlington property or land leased by the City of Burlington. Staff will design and manage construction of the Leash-Free area following capital budget approvalĬriteria for Establishing a New Leash-Free Area.If the site-specific engagement supports the request, the Leash-Free area(s) will be considered as part of the budget process.If the site-specific engagement does not support the request, staff will inform the applicant and the ward councillor of the rationale for not moving forward.
Upon council approval of the recommended Leash-Free areas, staff will conduct site specific community engagement.Applications that meet the criteria, have community support and are received by March 31 will be included in an annual staff report to Council in Q2 each year.Applications that do not meet the criteria and/or do not have community support, will be communicated back to the applicant and ward councillor.Staff will review each application in relation to the Council approved Leash-Free Area Criteria and documented community support, applications may be submitted at any time.Leash-Free areas may also be considered as part of a park renewal project.Requests will be received through a new Leash-Free Area application process that will streamline requests that meet the criteria and have documented community support.Letters can be from local community groups, businesses, religious facilities or residents living in the vicinity of the park.Īpply to have a leash-free area Process to Create New Leash-Free Areas Letters of SupportĪpplicants must also submit a minimum of 10 letters of support from people or groups other than the applicant, with signatures and contact information for the proposed leash free parks. Anyone interested in requesting a new leash-free area should review the leash-free criteria (below) as well as the application process before completing the online application form.