City council recently approved 29 new sites that meet the criteria for off-leash dog parks including two in Bayview. Included within the revised “People, Dogs and Parks Strategy” is a provision to allow the city to establish off-leash areas in neighbourhoods with no formal dog owners’ association. The city is examining a proposed off-leash area for Willowdale Park, located off Hollywood Avenue as well as Pineway Park.

In addition to Ledbury, the northeast section of Woburn Park, off Cranbrooke Drive, also offers an off-leash area to North York residents. North York resident and dog owner Steve Stober is a regular at Ledbury Park, one of two current area off-leash parks.

He described the park as “very busy,” adding that area dog owners could benefit from additional off-leash parks in currently unutilized areas. “In my mind, there’s a lot of parkland that really isn’t being used,” Stober said, pointing to the large green space near Ranee Avenue and William R. Allen Road. “That’s a perfect spot for a dog run as well.”

A recent application for an off-leash area at Ellerslie Park was denied based on community feedback from a public meeting.