There will be less space for dogs to run off-leash at one of Metro Vancouver’s most popular parks, according to policy recommendations made after a year-long review of the dog management plan at Pacific Spirit Regional Park.

The review came in response to numerous reports of conflicts between dogs and other park users and was led by senior staff with the regional government. The changes go into effect May 6 and are being made in an effort to reduce conflict between dogs and other park users.

“We want to simplify the train network so it’s easier for people to follow,” said Richard Wallace, Metro Vancouver’s parks operations supervisor.

Wallace said that dog-use complaints at the park is the leading feedback Metro Vancouver receives about the park and the changes are an attempt to accommodate both dog owners and park users who do not bring their pets.

“It’s a very polarizing issue, we understand that.”

The 8.6 square kilometre Pacific Spirit Regional Park, on the west side of Vancouver, near University of British Columbia’s main campus, is well-known for its 55 kilometres of trails, of which about 65 per cent don’t require dogs to be leashed.

But those leash-optional spaces will now be reduced to 51 per cent of available trails, with a central part of the park off-limits to dogs entirely, save for a leash-required through-trail to connect with the southern part of the park.

The changes will also include 12 fewer intersection changes — on-leash trail transitions to leash-optional or vice versa — because they can be “hotspots for conflict,” the report said.

The new set-up for the park is in response to conflicts between people visiting with their animals and those without, including joggers, runners and walkers, some of whom have reported being chased or knocked down by out-of-control, off-leash dogs. 

The plan also addresses dog-related problems such as ecological damage like erosion when dogs go off trail and dog poop not being picked up.

“Trail designation changes will create a simplified network where visitors can find different experiences including continuous leash-required, leash-optional, or no-dog loops,” said the report set to be received by Metro Vancouver’s Regional Parks Committee on Wednesday.

“The update aims to protect natural areas and support safe, high-quality experiences for all visitors.”

398 dog-related safety incidences

Pacific Spirit Regional Park is Metro Vancouver’s busiest park and gets nearly four million annual visitors, with one third of them bringing their dogs.

A technical review of the park found 398 documented “dog-related safety incidents,” over the past five years and visitor monitoring revealed around two-thirds of dogs were unleashed on leash-required trails.

Some proponents suggested splitting the park in two between leash-required and leash-free areas to keep user ground separate, while dog-owning park users warned against severe restrictions saying the park is one of the few wild spaces in Vancouver where dogs can roam unimpeded under the command of their owners.

“The last couple of years, it’s come up fairly frequently, maybe sort of second or third most common concern I do hear from residents,” said Jen McCutcheon who is the Metro Vancouver director for the area.

McCutcheon said people on both sides of the issue want change and she commended the regional government for the way it engaged with the Musqueam Indian Band, eight organizations with interest or involvement in the park and the public over the issue.

“The status quo I don’t think is working,” she said. “Coming to a place where everybody has some areas where they do feel safe, I think is good. 

“Let’s give something a try … while increasing education, awareness and enforcement when people are not following the rules.”

A post on Facebook made by Vancouver Coun. Rebecca Bligh as part of a dog community forum said the “sweeping restrictions that reduce access for responsible users, based on a tiny fraction of incidents, is not balanced policy.”

Metro Vancouver said it received nearly 6,000 responses to an online questionnaire along with more than 700 emails and letters.

It said 94 per cent of respondents to the questionnaire with dogs reported mostly positive experiences at the park, while less than a quarter of visitors without pets did not.

Most agreed that the existing wayfinding and trail designations in the park are confusing.

Better signs, expanded enforcement

Changes to the trail system will include education outreach through pop-up information stations, updated signage and website information, a media campaign and increased monitoring of the trails.

“Metro Vancouver Regional Parks will expand existing enforcement patrol to ensure the ongoing success of the dog management program,” said the report.

The regional government says it will also install fencing to prevent dogs from going off the trails in certain ecologically sensitive areas.