Community fight for dog park in Chesterville
by Brandon Mayer
An idea to turn a vacant piece of Chesterville land into a dog park has stalled. Originally proposed 3 years ago, members of a dedicated committee for the dog park as well as community members are growing increasingly frustrated with the Township over perceived red tape barriers.
The dog park journey began in early 2022, when Maya Séguin-Abels sent a well-organized 17-page proposal for a dog park to the Township after consulting with some residents and business owners to ensure there was support for the idea. Part of this proposal was the idea that the lawn maintenance of the dog park would be a Township responsibility, as it is for other parks.
Maya spoke with Mayor Tony Fraser on the phone, and she reports that he expressed positivity about the idea. In the summer of 2022, Maya was put in touch with Meaghan Meerburg, the Township’s Director of Recreation and Culture. Maya reports that Director Meerburg expressed an eagerness to move the idea forward, but no progress had been made by the spring of 2023. In the summer of 2023, at the suggestion of the Director, Maya formed a dog park committee, including herself, Debbie Ziegler, Ella Trolly, and others. The committee has been in discussions with both Director Meerburg and another recreation and culture employee, Brandon Cousineau.
By March of 2024, the dog park proposal was put to council with what Maya feels were grossly inflated estimates of the what the park would cost. “A pavilion and picnic tables are not necessary in a dog park and we think the benches could be added afterwards,” Maya explained. It was suggested that the Township could entertain a commitment of contributing $10,000 to provide the fence, if local businesses and fundraising efforts contributed the rest of the cost.
In May of 2024, the committee provided a delegation to council in which they once again suggested that the lawn maintenance should be the Township’s responsibility. The land at 13537 Water Street in Chesterville was officially allocated for the dog park. Debbie’s husband staked the property, and the plan for the dog park was approved. But in July, there was a snag: Director Meerburg informed the committee that the Township did not have the resources to be responsible for the lawn maintenance of the park.
In October, Camouflage Property Maintenance cleared the land in exchange for future on-site advertising, with no cost to the Township or taxpayers. Around that same time, many emails were exchanged between Township officials and the dog park committee members about the lawn maintenance snag. In December, as talks were in place for potential assistance from the Rotary Club of Chesterville, the committee members were shocked to hear it stated in the draft 2025 budget meeting that all funding for the park would come from fundraising, which contradicted the previous suggestion of a $10,000 contribution.
Earlier this month, interest in the idea of a dog park in Chesterville was renewed online when some concerns were expressed about dogs being walked off-leash. Director Meerburg also confirmed that funding would not be allocated for the park, explaining in an email: “The Recreation & Culture Department is focused on maintaining, rather than growing at the moment (with the exception of projects already underway like the new park in Hallville), due to resource limitations. I understand that council is quite supportive of the dog park development and has demonstrated their support by way of designating the land, but our current infrastructure is greatly in need of our municipal resources. For this reason, to date, there is no financial commitment to the dog park included in the 2025 budget.”
Even with a new commitment from Camouflage Property Maintenance to provide the lawn maintenance at the site free of charge in exchange for advertising, putting to rest the lawn maintenance part of the issue, progress is still stalled as the committee waits to see if the Township would allow such an arrangement. The committee is confident it could raise needed funds, even with a lower financial commitment from the Township or no commitment at all, but the committee does not want to start fundraising until they are assured the park can proceed.
Committee members argue that the dog park is long overdue. “I would like to add that there have been altercations with local residents when dogs are walked on rural roads for exercise, where owners are hoping to give their larger breeds some safe exercise,” said Ella Trolly. “Some dogs have been threatened and one resident who has been an agitator at council meetings even threatened that he would hit any loose dog he sees on his road.” One of Ella’s biggest concerns is that despite previous assurances that work on the dog park would commence in September of 2025, it wasn’t even included as part of the recreation and culture options disseminated at the March 3 public meeting at the Township office.
“Chesterville is home to a dog rescue, Chances Rescue,” Ella added. “Here in North Dundas there’s a bit of a culture of ‘adopt don’t shop’ which many locals are proud of… one huge support factor for rescue dogs in particular involves having safe spaces for them to socialize with other dogs while off leash (to avoid leash reactivity). The dog park would reflect and support a piece of the heart of the community as it has evolved today. I think a final key point here is all the promises over the years with literally no mention in the 2025 recreation plans.”
To sign a petition showing support for the Chesterville dog park, visit https://www.change.org/p/chesterville-dogpark-proposal-interest