Altona's pop-up dog park a tremendous success

A temporary off-leash dog park set up north of Altona's Millennium Exhibition Centre this summer has proven quite popular. 

"It has been used tremendously," said the town's recreation manager, Eric Hildebrand, noting the department has also garnered excellent feedback from users. The Town launched an online survey in conjunction with the opening of the pop-up park. 

"People overall just really appreciated the fact that there is a fenced-in space that we lacked in the past," said Hildebrand, adding people also enjoyed the location of the park and that it's easily accessible by foot, bicycle or vehicle. "It's (also) a grassy space, which is nice for the pets and pet owners, but there's also some trees which provide some shade. Again, just the fact that there's a space where you can take your dog off its leash and let it run around and enjoy some socializing with other people and other dogs."

Through the survey, users also listed a few recommendations of what they'd like to see should the park become a permanent fixture. Suggestions include a water source and other amenities, like obstacle courses and tunnels. 

Hildebrand says rec office staff are busy applying for various grants in hopes of one day, making the dog park permanent.

In the meantime, the staff is also exploring ways to keep the space open and usable during the winter months.